Xerox, NPS collaboration on 3D printing already impacting supply chain thinking

It’s been a few months since Xerox and the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) announced a collaboration on additive manufacturing to figure out new ways to solve supply chain issues. Just in time, too.

Supply chain problems, like a ship getting stuck have taken center stage in 2021. Leaders are trying to solve these difficulties amid more complexities raised by COVID.

But that’s where the NPS-Xerox collaboration makes the most sense. Remove one of the main supply chain challenges with a production-grade printer like the Xerox^® ElemX^™ that can replace parts one would normally need to order and stock.

“That’s what the 3D printer from Xerox is allowing us to do,” says Colonel Todd Lyons (Retired), Vice President of NPS Foundation & Alumni Association. “To print things at a size and scale that actually can make a difference out on the battlefield of the future or the navy ship of the future.”

Students and faculty at NPS have spent these past months testing parts and iterating on their processes. Even as COVID has impacted their usual class structure and setting, it hasn’t dampened their ingenuity or enthusiasm when it comes learning how to best utilize 3D printing.

After all, it’s not every day that you get to shape the future.

“The reason we connected really well with NPS is we share the forward thinking and same long-term vision about how to leverage 3D printing to solve supply chain pain points,” says Tali Rosman, Xerox Vice President and General Manager, 3D printing.

That connection has not only cemented NPS’s decision to embrace additive manufacturing, but it also ensures there’s a trusted collaborator going forward.

“They’re so open, and so engaging with us,” says Rosman. “and we’re excited about the partnership we’ve been building together.”