Localised distributed production techniques in the Pacific
THE QUESTION
Can localised 3D printing minimise the supply-chain constraints faced by islands in the Pacific?
LOCATION: Soloman Islands
SECTOR: Manufacturing
TECH: 3D Printing
TIMELINE: September 2022 - Present
PIONEER: Tom Coward
PARTNER: BJS Agencies, Tropical Group Builders, AdKonec
The Challenge
Supply chains in the Pacific Islands have always been long and expensive. COVID-19 exposed the region’s vulnerability to disruption and exacerbated existing supply-chain constraints. Businesses in the Solomon Islands face challenges of timely and cost-effective supply and maintenance. Spares and repairs for manufacturing equipment are hard to procure because of the small market size and huge distances to supply parts. Manufacturing operations can grind to a halt for want of a small spare part creating huge delays and economic impacts for businesses and their customers.
The Idea
This pilot will test the use of distributed manufacturing technologies including 3D printing, laser cutting and CNC milling to strengthen local production capacities with manufacturing sector partners. Distributed manufacturing technologies and techniques have proven effective in the healthcare, industrial manufacturing, automobile and design sectors. The challenge is in developing the business and investment models. This pilot builds upon previous learnings from other Frontier Technology Pilot’s, such as Kijenzi in Kenya. If successful, this project might create jobs in manufacturing and support the healthcare system by enabling the production of bespoke and hard-to-source spares, repairs and products quickly.