3D printing developments and its impact on supply chain management

W ostatnich latach druk 3D, nazywany także produkcją przyrostową, wzbudza rosnące zainteresowanie jako technologia przełomowa, zmieniająca życie, biznes i globalną gospodarkę. Od pojawienia się ponad 30 lat temu, druk 3D bardzo się rozwinął i wyrósł na technologię, która może zastąpić tradycyjne techniki produkcyjne w branżach wytwarzających produkty wysoce kompleksowe i kastomizowane. Dla firm zaangażowanych w druk 3D, technologia ta może się okazać przełomową siłą, która w przyszłości może zredefiniować tradycyjne strategie zakupów, produkcji i dystrybucji w łańcuchach dostaw. Przedsiębiorstwa będą mogły wykorzystać druk 3D w zarządzaniu łańcuchem dostaw w celu zarówno poprawy doskonałości operacyjnej, jak i doświadczeń zakupowych klientów. Niniejszy artykuł bada potencjalne implikacje szerokiego zaakceptowania druku 3D w tradycyjnych łańcuchach dostaw. W odniesieniu do analizy tych ewoluujących trendów artykuł ma charakter prognostyczno-przewidujący, a nie opisowy.In recent years, 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, has attracted increasing attention as disruptive technology that will transform life, business and the global economy. Since its inception more than 30 years ago, 3D printing has advanced and grown into a technology that is likely to substitute traditional manufacturing in industry segments that produce highly complex and customized goods. For companies involved in this type of manufacturing, 3D printing could become a disruptive force that in future may redefine traditional purchasing, manufacturing and distribution strategies in supply chains. Companies can leverage 3D printing in the supply chain to improve operational excellence as well as the customer experience This article explores some of the potential implications of large-scale adoption of 3D printing in traditional supply chains. In relation to these evolving trends, this is a predictive, and not a descriptive, article

Processes and operations cases

In order to lower logistics costs and increase efficiency in its transportation and warehousing operations, IKEA started an internal competition to reduce unnecessary air in their product packaging. This Air hunting competition focused on removing as much air as possible from packaging and thereby increasing true product volume during transportation and storage. Several IKEA products were identified for packaging development, one being the Glimma tea candle that is described in this best practice documentation. The development of the Glimma tea candle packaging resulted in a 30% increase in products volume for each load unit. Thanks to this packaging development, the efficiency of the transportation and warehouse operations is now much greater and the impact on the environment has decreased significantly

Processes and operations cases

In order to lower logistics costs and increase efficiency in its transportation and warehousing operations, IKEA started an internal competition to reduce unnecessary air in their product packaging. This Air hunting competition focused on removing as much air as possible from packaging and thereby increasing true product volume during transportation and storage. Several IKEA products were identified for packaging development, one being the Glimma tea candle that is described in this best practice documentation. The development of the Glimma tea candle packaging resulted in a 30% increase in products volume for each load unit. Thanks to this packaging development, the efficiency of the transportation and warehouse operations is now much greater and the impact on the environment has decreased significantly

Apixaban compared with warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation and previous stroke or transient ischaemic attack: A subgroup analysis of the ARISTOTLE trial

Background: In the ARISTOTLE trial, the rate of stroke or systemic embolism was reduced by apixaban compared with warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Patients with AF and previous stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) have a high risk of stroke. We therefore aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of apixaban compared with warfarin in prespecified subgroups of patients with and without previous stroke or TIA. Methods: Between Dec 19, 2006, and April 2, 2010, patients were enrolled in the ARISTOTLE trial at 1034 clinical sites in 39 countries. 18 201 patients with AF or atrial flutter were randomly assigned to receive apixaban 5 mg twice daily or warfarin (target international normalised ratio 2·0-3·0). The median duration of follow-up was 1·8 years (IQR 1·4-2·3). The primary efficacy outcome was stroke or systemic embolism, analysed by intention to treat. The primary safety outcome was major bleeding in the on-treatment population. All participants, investigators, and sponsors were masked to treatment assignments. In this subgroup analysis, we estimated event rates and used Cox models to compare outcomes in patients with and without previous stroke or TIA. The ARISTOTLE trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NTC00412984. Findings: Of the trial population, 3436 (19%) had a previous stroke or TIA. In the subgroup of patients with previous stroke or TIA, the rate of stroke or systemic embolism was 2·46 per 100 patient-years of follow-up in the apixaban group and 3·24 in the warfarin group (hazard ratio [HR] 0·76, 95% CI 0·56 to 1·03); in the subgroup of patients without previous stroke or TIA, the rate of stroke or systemic embolism was 1·01 per 100 patient-years of follow-up with apixaban and 1·23 with warfarin (HR 0·82, 95% CI 0·65 to 1·03; p for interaction=0·71). The absolute reduction in the rate of stroke and systemic embolism with apixaban versus warfarin was 0·77 per 100 patient-years of follow-up (95% CI -0·08 to 1·63) in patients with and 0·22 (-0·03 to 0·47) in those without previous stroke or TIA. The difference in major bleeding with apixaban compared with warfarin was 1·07 per 100 patient-years (95% CI 0·09-2·04) in patients with and 0·93 (0·54-1·32) in those without previous stroke or TIA. Interpretation: The effects of apixaban versus warfarin were consistent in patients with AF with and without previous stroke or TIA. Owing to the higher risk of these outcomes in patients with previous stroke or TIA, the absolute benefits of apixaban might be greater in this population. Funding: Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd

Apixaban versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND: Vitamin K antagonists are highly effective in preventing stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation but have several limitations. Apixaban is a novel oral direct factor Xa inhibitor that has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke in a similar population in comparison with aspirin. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind trial, we compared apixaban (at a dose of 5 mg twice daily) with warfarin (target international normalized ratio, 2.0 to 3.0) in 18,201 patients with atrial fibrillation and at least one additional risk factor for stroke. The primary outcome was ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke or systemic embolism. The trial was designed to test for noninferiority, with key secondary objectives of testing for superiority with respect to the primary outcome and to the rates of major bleeding and death from any cause. RESULTS: The median duration of follow-up was 1.8 years. The rate of the primary outcome was 1.27% per year in the apixaban group, as compared with 1.60% per year in the warfarin group (hazard ratio with apixaban, 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.66 to 0.95; P<0.001 for noninferiority; P = 0.01 for superiority). The rate of major bleeding was 2.13% per year in the apixaban group, as compared with 3.09% per year in the warfarin group (hazard ratio, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.60 to 0.80; P<0.001), and the rates of death from any cause were 3.52% and 3.94%, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.80 to 0.99; P = 0.047). The rate of hemorrhagic stroke was 0.24% per year in the apixaban group, as compared with 0.47% per year in the warfarin group (hazard ratio, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.75; P<0.001), and the rate of ischemic or uncertain type of stroke was 0.97% per year in the apixaban group and 1.05% per year in the warfarin group (hazard ratio, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.74 to 1.13; P = 0.42). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with atrial fibrillation, apixaban was superior to warfarin in preventing stroke or systemic embolism, caused less bleeding, and resulted in lower mortality. Copyright © 2011 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved