The Key Driver for 3D Systems Adoption of AI

Aug 06, 2020 • Features • Artificial intelligence • Video • Digital Transformation • Aquant • north america • Field Service News Digital Symposium • 3D Systems Corporation

In a recent presentation in the Field Service News Digital Symposium, Mark Hessinger, Vice President, Global Customer Services, 3D Systems Corporation outlined how his organisation had harnessed Artificial Intelligence within their service triage and delivery having implemented Aquant’s AI-powered tools.

It was an impressive presentation that outlined several different benefits that 3D Systems Corporation realised in just a matter of months since the implementation.

Perhaps the one critical takeaway from Hessinger’s presentation was just how many aspects of their service delivery had been touched and optimised by the Aquant AI solution.

During the presentation, Hessinger referred to benefits that included vital areas that are high on the agenda for improvement, by many if not all field service organisations. Hessinger explained how they had seen direct performance improvements in the optimisation of the service logistics chain, a significant reduction in truck rolls and an increase in perhaps the most crucial metric within service delivery – first time-fix rates.

"All those things come together, the better information you have, the better accuracy you have on resolving things..."

However, during the Q&A segment of the presentation, Hessinger was quizzed by Kris Oldland, Editor-in-Chief, Field Service News about what was the critical factor that drove 3D Systems Corporation to seek out an AI solution and engage with Aquant?

“We met with Aquant at a field service conference, and found somebody who was trying to solve the problem that we were trying to address” Hessinger had commented during the presentation – so what exactly was that problem?

Mostly, it was the result of the evolution of the 3D printing sector itself as the industry evolves from supporting prototype development to full production.

As Hessinger explains, “The key driver was after I joined 3D Systems, we had to make that shift from supporting a prototype house to a production environment. If the printers are not working in a prototyping environment, they [the client] may call today, with an expectation of us being with them in a few days. In production environment you have to be so much faster because a 3D printer not producing final parts directly impacts revenue."

“I was looking for a tool that could help us with just improving the speed and the rate of resolution. All those things come together, the better information you have, the better accuracy you have on resolving things. It just allows you to get to solve the problem faster,” Hessinger adds.

“Resolving problems quicker and more accurately was one of them was the key driver initially.”