Our Problem
Traditional manufacturing methods cannot cost effectively produce parts in low quantities and high variability, as methods like CNC waste large portions of materials and others like injection molding and casting are not suited for complex parts. Additionally, there is no in house production of metal components, increasing the cost and lead times. The introduction of plastic 3D printing as a method of manufacturing was incorporated to help address some of these issues, but specific plastic parts fail in assembly and transportation and do not meet the conductive and strength requirements of the previous metal designs because they were not optimized for material and methods of 3D plastic printing before being used in the device. As a result, some parts do not function as intended and may even break during assembly and use
Our Solution
Our teams aims to optimize their partially implemented plastic 3D printing and investigate viable metal 3D printing candidates. This includes, but is not limited to specific inquiries into the modern technologies available on the market and the cost, benefits and limitations that were related to each, ultimately with the goal to provide Alcon with a viable technology to implement into their manufacturing process. The incorporation of 3D metal printing technologies allows Alcon to have in house access access to readily accessible materials and help avoid supply chain shortages. 3D metal printing would also produce less material waste, and allow for more complex geometries to be produced that would be difficult to replicate in other manufacturing processes. Redesigning 3D printed plastic parts that were previously metal allows plastic printing to remain a viable option for creating satisfactory components and adjusts these components to adequately replace their metal counterparts
Market Strategy
The current market for eye care devices is values at around $23 billion. With our efforts into 3D printing technologies and part redesigns for Alcon, we will be assisting them in targeting ophthalmic surgical practitioners who will be using these devices. We will be using a manufacturer business model with the ultimate goal of minimizing the cost and wait time of device production
Competitor Analysis
The main competitors of interest to Alcon are SLM Solutions and Additive Industries. Our investigation will decide which is best for Alcon's needs based on handling safety, efficiency, ROI, modularity, and various other factors