# Building the Future: The Journey of The LEGO Group in AM

- Show: [Additive Snack](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack)
- Published: 2023-09-05
- Length: 34m
- Episode: 5
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2023-09-05-building-the-future-the-journey-of-the-lego-group-in-am
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/da0fa60f

## Summary

Ronen Hadar, Senior Director of Additive Design and Manufacturing at The LEGO Group, explains how the company has used additive manufacturing (AM) for tooling and prototyping since the 1990s, and is now exploring end-use production for consumer goods. He details the development of the famous 'duck' project using EOS FDR technology to demonstrate AM's ability to create complex, functional integrated parts that injection molding cannot easily achieve. Hadar argues that AM is not a replacement for injection molding but a complementary tool, highlighting significant barriers to scaling AM for mass production, including limited material choices, high costs, low machine productivity, and labor-intensive post-processing. Finally, he discusses the critical shortage of AM talent and the LEGO Group's proactive strategy to partner with universities and organizations like Women in 3D Printing to build a future workforce of process engineers, build developers, and data scientists.

## Chapters

- [0:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2023-09-05-building-the-future-the-journey-of-the-lego-group-in-am#t=4) Introduction: Ronen Hadar and The LEGO Group's AM History
- [3:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2023-09-05-building-the-future-the-journey-of-the-lego-group-in-am#t=224) From Prototyping to Equipment: The Digital Supply Chain
- [11:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2023-09-05-building-the-future-the-journey-of-the-lego-group-in-am#t=666) AM vs. Injection Molding: The Consumer Goods Challenge
- [16:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2023-09-05-building-the-future-the-journey-of-the-lego-group-in-am#t=1002) The LEGO Duck: FDR Technology and Functional Integration
- [21:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2023-09-05-building-the-future-the-journey-of-the-lego-group-in-am#t=1273) Barriers to Scale: Quality, Cost, and Productivity
- [28:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2023-09-05-building-the-future-the-journey-of-the-lego-group-in-am#t=1734) Talent Shortage and Workforce Development

## Topics

- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- EOS (company)
- LEGO Group (company)
- FDR (other)
- SLS (other)
- SLA (other)
- DLP (other)
- Women in 3D Printing (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [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)
- [Following Your Passion in 3D Printing with Greg Paulsen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-01-26-following-your-passion-in-3d-printing-with-greg-paulsen) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Nano Dimension GM Valentin Storz on EMS@C_Level 2022, episode 18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2022-10-24-nano-dimension-gm-valentin-storz-on-ems-c-level-2022-episode-18) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [S6E11 Jon Lowy | Sleeping 3 Hours Per Day & Additive Manufacturing X.0](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-03-14-s6e11-jon-lowy-sleeping-3-hours-per-day-additive-manufacturing-x-0) (Being an Engineer)

## Citing this page

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