Make or Buy Support

Compare In-House Manufacturing Costs with Supplier Prices - In seconds. Get a clear recommendation based on cost, lead time, and CO₂, with an audit trail your team can trust.

Trusted by

Alstom logoAlstom logoMetshape logoZF logoOBB logoSandhelden logoHarscher Prototyping logoHAW Hamburg logoDB logoCastFast logoAdditive Willman logo
Alstom logoSiemens logoMetshape logoZF logoOBB logoSandhelden logoHAW Hamburg LogoZero 3d logoZero 3d logoZero 3d logo
Why effecient make or buy decisions matters?
  • No Guesswork: Real internal cost vs real market quotes, not averages
  • Faster Sourcing: Reduce the email ping-pong and get first-time-right quotes
  • Better Capacity Use: Keep your machines for the right jobs and outsource the rest
  • Sustainability Included: See the CO₂ impact of each route before you order
What you get out of the box?

Make or buy recommendations -

  • cost, lead time, CO₂, and rationale

Break-even curves -

  • lot-size based switch points per production technology

Supplier spread -

  • clear response time, price range, and win rates
Decoration
AMACADEMY POWERED BY AMPOWER

Decision log-

  • exportable PDF or spreadsheet for audits and sign-off

Why choose 3D Spark for make or buy support?

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Cost Effeciency

Reduce procurement costs by leveraging market insights and optimising supplier selection

Efficient Sourcing

Automate RFQ generation, cut manual tasks, and accelerate procurement timelines

Competitive Edge

Dynamic pricing models ensure RFQs align with current market conditions

Faster Make or Buy Decision Making

Procurement teams access indicative prices and capacity estimates instantly for smarter decisions

Reduced Reliance on RFQ for Data

Use supplier data to minimise the need for multiple RFQs to gather market intelligence

Qualified Supplier Access

OEMs can view a curated list of trusted suppliers with the right capabilities

See how our customers use 3D Spark

See more success stories

Screened 100,000+ spare parts to identify cost, lead time, and CO₂ savings

READ CASE STUDY

2-3%

Costing accuracy achieved compared to in-house costs.

90%

Time saved by reducing manual work

OBB logo

Optimized production with precise costing and sustainability insights.

READ PRESS RELEASE

€15M+

Saved in
costs

2,600

Months in
lead-time reduced

Alstom Logo
FAQs
Streamline your manufacturing decisions with our Part Screening feature. Upload multiple parts, discover what's best made in-house versus outsourced, and optimize your production strategy effortlessly.
Get in touch
How can 3D Spark make accurate make-or-buy decisions without integrated access to company systems?
3D Spark can work with existing supplier and pricing data, either by integration or by using exported data from these systems inputted into 3D Spark.
Can the 3D Spark platform model and compare additive manufacturing processes against traditional injection molding?
Yes, the platform can model and compare additive processes against traditional technologies such as injection molding, CNC machining, investment casting and more to support business case analysis for additive manufacturing.
Does the platform have the ability to track cost savings and lead time improvements over time through additive manufacturing?
Yes. The platform has a dashboard feature to track internal cost savings and lead time improvements over time as parts are produced additively versus traditional methods.
What are the outputs of a part screening analysis? How can I see my results?
Results for each part are visible in the 3D Spark platform, with the associated analysis process chains, cost, lead time and CO2 outputs. An excel spreadsheet of the results is also made available. Additional outputs can include: A Management Summary Report as a slide deck or PDF and detailed PDF report of each analysed component
Does 3D Spark have standard process chains for calculating cost, lead time, and carbon footprint for the parts?
Yes. 3D Spark has standard process chains for different manufacturing technologies, which can be tailored to your specific production reality. They can factor in things like pre-processing, build time, and post-processing to provide accurate estimates.
Can I perform an analysis on my inventory even without access to 3D files or 2D Drawings?
Yes, 3D Spark can leverage the ERP data, bounding box values and other information to provide the necessary analysis and insights, even without extensive CAD data or 2D drawings.
What are the key metrics 3D Spark uses for part screening?
3D Spark focuses on cost savings and lead time reduction when comparing additive manufacturing to conventional methods
Can 3D Spark help identify local suppliers in different regions?
Yes, 3D Spark can support reach out to onboard new suppliers in different regions as part of a screening project.
Does 3D Spark have a standard network of suppliers who we can have access to?
Yes. 3D Spark has a network of suppliers in their platform who are open to receive RFQs.
Make or Buy Support – Download Overview

Learn how engineering and sourcing teams use 3D Spark's make or buy feature to support data-driven decisions.

Download One Pager
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What is it?

Case studies

3D Spark's manufacturing data analysis platform

Get insights directly from our customers on how 3D Spark's platform benefited their businesses

Sales

Metshape X 3D Spark

Engineering

DB X 3D Spark

Procurement

Alstom X 3D Spark

Case study 1

Sales

Customer- Metshape

The Problem -

High time and effort required by sales team to analyze 3D CADs and 2D drawings from daily Requests for Quotations (RFQs) regarding technical feasibility and precise, instant costing.

Implementation:
Output
3 times less tools
needed for quoting
Output
90% reduced quoting
time
OUTPUT
100% Reduced effort
for answering
unsuitable RFQs

Case study 2

Engineering

Customer- DB

The Problem-
‍
There were challenges in feasibility testing and (pre-)calculation processes, including the need for higher accuracy, improved stability, ease, and speed. They also experienced issues with reliance on fragile Excel sheets, which hindered their ability to provide timely and reliable offers.

Implementation:
Output
Achieved an accuracy
of +-5%

Case study 3

Procurement

Customer- Alstom

The Problem-

Alstom faced challenges including high parts purchase prices, time-consuming RFQ processes, limited adoption rate of AM, and the need for cost, lead time and CO2e savings, accounting.

Implementation:
Output
Parts purchase
prices reduced by
more than 20%
OUTPUT
86% less RFQs needed
Output
On-demand in-house
AM consultancy
for expertise growth
OUTPUT
Live AM roll-out
KPIs: global cost
& leadtime savings
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