Mise en place d'un processus favorisant l'intégration de la fabrication additive plastique à la FN Herstal

Abstract

Through the today arrival of a lot of new disruptive technologies in the Defense sector, enterprises need to adapt their strategy, organization and information system in order to efficiently cope with the new challenges. Correlated with the 4.0 industry transition, the coming changes won’t miss to reach every dimension of those companies. One of the novelties that will extremely impact the business processes of companies is the additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D-printing. The exponential progresses that the 3D technologies have encountered since the last fifteen years induce new considerations about it in terms of production supports and concrete means of production. Of course, the metal additive manufacturing is the first one truly considered as mean of production in comparison with the plastic one. Still, both technological improvements let us rethink the way we manage digitalization, relocation, interconnectivity, client’s relations and, even, climate topics. Considering all of this, the FN Herstal, the major actor of the light weapons’ market, has decided to start the transition by progressively implementing global changes into their businesses. The additive manufacturing has been introduced long time ago by the company into their activities. Today, two metal 3D-printing machines are helping managers to improve the “time to market” of products and more specifically the development cycles of new products. As for other disruptive changes, internal resistances exist against AM and the continuously stricter client’s requirements let the only option to reinforce the potential virtuous circle of AM by transferring all the company’s energy into the topic in order to reach the related objectives. The aim of this thesis refers to the creation of a new business process able to sustain the integration of a plastic 3D-printing machine in a relatively resisting environment against changes. This is translated by the management of seven dimensions of progress on which a polyphonic and transversal methodology has been performed. An “As is/to be” analysis explains how to define and anticipate the impacts of the plastic AM on the company. Then, tests and results have been conducted in order to challenge the expectations and adapt the other dimensions of progress in the best way. Finally, the long run vision of the technology is characterized thanks to the conclusions that show why and how the plastic (and metal) 3D-printing will be a good facilitator for the 4.0 industry transition and the maintain of the leader position of the FN Herstal on their markets.