leanAM guides companies from the first use-case idea to a productive print line. We run our own printing operation, develop MES software and know what works on the production floor.
Most consulting projects end with a report. After that, you are on your own: machines purchased, software unresolved, team untrained, and the line stands still.
leanAM stays through commissioning: we train the operators, integrate the software into your existing IT and remain available when new questions come up six months later.
This works because we have no conflict of interest: we work vendor-independently and earn our keep by making your processes run as well as they possibly can.
We work with companies that are serious about AM, whether they are buying their first printer or optimizing entire production lines.
Mechanical engineering, automotive, consumer products — companies that currently buy parts externally and want to assess whether in-house production is more cost-effective.
Industries with elevated documentation requirements — where traceability, material qualification and audit trails are not optional, but mandatory.
Research institutions and universities with printer fleets that need structured order management, cost accounting and multi-user operation.
We start where you stand. Each module can be booked individually or as part of an end-to-end project.
We work through your part portfolio against the AM suitability criteria that matter — geometry, volume, material and economics. You end up with a prioritized use-case list and business-case outlines, ready for the decision round.
We compare in-house production against external 3D printing services across total cost of ownership, lead time, quality requirements and IP risks, and close with a clear, data-driven recommendation.
We build your multi-year roadmap for additive manufacturing, covering technology selection, investment, skill development, organizational setup and a KPI framework. It comes with a profitability calculation that stands up to scrutiny from management and the board.
We run the operational roll-out alongside you: commissioning the machines, integrating leanAM MES, training the operators and producing the first articles. We do not leave until the line runs stably.
Structured and transparent, with defined deliverables in every phase. You always know what comes next and what it costs.
Workshop, data analysis, production walk-through. We understand your reality and your goals before we make recommendations.
Use-case scoring, economics, technology match — a solid basis for decision-making, not gut-feeling consulting.
A clear recommendation with investment plan, KPI set and time horizon. Ready to present to management and the advisory board.
We stay on the floor until the line runs stably: machines, software, training, first articles, qualification.
AM introductions rarely fail because of the technology. They fail because IT security, production, procurement and management have different success criteria, and nobody moderates the interface.
Left unresolved, these conflicts cost months of time-to-first-print, burn pilot budgets in coordination loops and put the business case at risk.
1–2 days
Stakeholder interviews, a conflict map and a prioritized action plan. Afterwards, you know where the project is really stuck.
Workshop packages
We moderate between deadlocked parties as a neutral technical authority, so you come away with workable governance, documented decisions and clear responsibilities.
Retainer
Ongoing availability during the pilot and rollout phase. Prevents conflicts from exploding only once they reach the steering committee.
What companies ask us most often before the first conversation.
For companies that want to introduce 3D printing or scale an existing AM setup, from mid-sized manufacturers to universities and industrial corporations. We work across industries, with a focus on mechanical engineering, medical technology, aerospace and consumer products.
It depends on scope. A potential screening (2–4 weeks) is a compact entry project with a clear scope, and the make-or-buy and roadmap modules build on it. The initial consultation and first assessment cost nothing, and we go through all the terms openly in the first meeting.
From the first use-case identification to a productive line typically takes 3–12 months, depending on machine scope, ERP integration and internal resources. With leanAM MES as the software foundation, the integration phase is significantly shorter.
Make-or-buy is the choice between running your own 3D printing operation (make) or placing the work with an external service (buy). leanAM weighs both options across total cost of ownership, lead times, quality requirements and IP protection, then gives a clear, data-driven recommendation.
We advise technology-agnostically: FFF (incl. various manufacturers and models), SLS, MJF, SLA/MSLA, binder jetting and metal AM (LPBF, DED). We recommend the technology that fits your use case, not the one we happen to sell.
We run our own 3D printing operation and develop our own MES software. What we recommend runs through our machines every day. We work with clients long-term, not as a one-off consultant with a final report.
