# Additive Manufacturing (AM): Injecting Agility and Innovation into Product Development

- Show: [Additive Snack](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack)
- Published: 2022-01-25
- Length: 34m
- Episode: 2
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2022-01-25-additive-manufacturing-am-injecting-agility-and-innovation-into-product-developm
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/63675530

## Summary

Rich Stump, co-founder and CCO of Fathom, discusses the evolution of additive manufacturing (AM) from prototyping to a critical component of agile supply chains. He explains how Fathom uses an outcome-focused, technology-neutral approach to help customers navigate production challenges, citing a case where 12 different manufacturing processes were used to deliver 20,000 parts in 30 days. Stump emphasizes that adoption barriers are often cultural and educational, advising companies to start with 'gateway applications' like jigs, fixtures, or bridge-to-production parts to build confidence before tackling complex end-use components.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2022-01-25-additive-manufacturing-am-injecting-agility-and-innovation-into-product-developm#t=6) Introduction and Rich Stump's Background
- [2:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2022-01-25-additive-manufacturing-am-injecting-agility-and-innovation-into-product-developm#t=129) Fathom's Evolution from Distributor to Platform
- [7:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2022-01-25-additive-manufacturing-am-injecting-agility-and-innovation-into-product-developm#t=476) Fathom's Technology-Neutral, Outcome-Focused Approach
- [9:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2022-01-25-additive-manufacturing-am-injecting-agility-and-innovation-into-product-developm#t=587) Case Study: 20,000 Parts in 30 Days Using 12 Processes
- [12:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2022-01-25-additive-manufacturing-am-injecting-agility-and-innovation-into-product-developm#t=759) Agility in Product Development and Supply Chain Resilience
- [14:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2022-01-25-additive-manufacturing-am-injecting-agility-and-innovation-into-product-developm#t=881) The Human Learning Curve and Workforce Education
- [20:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2022-01-25-additive-manufacturing-am-injecting-agility-and-innovation-into-product-developm#t=1211) Gateway Applications and Bridge-to-Production Strategies
- [26:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2022-01-25-additive-manufacturing-am-injecting-agility-and-innovation-into-product-developm#t=1600) Advice for Implementing AM: Start with Easy Wins

## Topics

- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Fathom (company)
- EOS (company)
- Object (company)
- Stratasys (company)
- PTC (company)
- Ansys (company)
- GoEngineer (company)
- Boeing (company)
- Nike (company)
- HP (company)
- Pro Engineer (product)
- SLS (tool)
- FDM (tool)
- PolyJet (tool)
- TinkerCAD (tool)
- CAD (tool)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [174: Agile Product Development & Additive Manufacturing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-05-04-174-agile-product-development-additive-manufacturing) (Product Startup)
- [083: Benefits of Additive Manufacturing for New Inventions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2021-07-07-083-benefits-of-additive-manufacturing-for-new-inventions) (Product Startup)
- [3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing with Steve Szymeczek of Penumbra Engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-04-02-3d-printing-and-additive-manufacturing-with-steve-szymeczek-of-penumbra-engineer) (Predictable Designs Podcast)
- [Post print: The dirty little secret of additive manufacturing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2022-11-29-post-print-the-dirty-little-secret-of-additive-manufacturing) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [S7E32 Steven Szymeczek | From Taking Things Apart to Teaching Engineers How to Build](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2026-07-31-s7e32-steven-szymeczek-from-taking-things-apart-to-teaching-engineers-how-to-bui) (Being an Engineer)

## Citing this page

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