German-American company Zellerfeld is planning to scale up its custom 3D printed footwear production, expanding from hundreds to thousands of printers. The company, which produces shoes based on individual foot scans, recently partnered with Fraunhofer IAPT to develop a comprehensive plan for this expansion. This six-week collaboration resulted in a detailed assessment of production requirements and facility layout necessary to increase capacity.
Fraunhofer IAPT’s analysis identified key bottlenecks in the current production system and provided recommendations for improvement. The consulting team developed a layout design that addresses production areas, office spaces, and fault tolerance measures. Technical and regulatory guidelines for selecting an optimal production facility were also specified, with particular attention to fire protection compliance.
The plan aims to facilitate Zellerfeld’s growth from approximately 200 3D printers to a potential 5,000 units. “Fraunhofer IAPT helped us validate crucial insights with a practical analysis – a valuable foundation for our further scaling,” said Lennard Stoever, Co-Founder and President of Zellerfeld, regarding the collaboration.
The development process involved close work with Zellerfeld’s employees to ensure the solution addressed practical production needs. Fraunhofer IAPT, which specializes in additive manufacturing research and development, provided expertise covering the entire production process from component design to factory planning and virtualization.
This partnership represents a significant step in scaling additive manufacturing for consumer products. The project demonstrates how consulting expertise can support the transition of 3D printing from small-batch production to larger manufacturing operations, potentially increasing industrial applications of the technology in various sectors.
Source: idw-online.de