My journey with Authentica began after I moved to the UK, bringing along 30 years of experience in 3D printing and manufacturing. I’ve always been deeply aware of the challenges in sourcing parts efficiently—especially after working in Africa, where even a simple part often required a flight to Portugal and back, sometimes taking days or even months to secure a critical spare part. When I discovered 3D printing, I realized it could transform this supply chain issue; imagine sending a digital file that could be printed in a matter of hours at a location near the customer. However, 3D printing came with a serious cybersecurity challenge. With Authentica, we developed a secure, end-to-end digital spare parts supply chain that addresses this need. Our platform is designed much like Amazon’s marketplace, enabling users—even those with no technical 3D printing knowledge—to easily search, purchase, and produce spare parts locally. For example, a customer in Bologna could order a part, and the file would be securely sent to a manufacturer in Bologna, reducing both time and carbon footprint.
How Authentica Safeguards Data and Enhances Efficiency Across Multiple Industries
At Authentica, we focus on securely managing three primary data types to facilitate our digital spare parts supply chain. First, we handle digital files from OEMs, storing these 3D models in a protected digital warehouse to ensure only authorized access. Second, we collect data from the machines used in manufacturing, essential for ensuring quality control. Finally, we gather customer location data, streamlining the delivery of genuine, high-quality spare parts directly to where they’re needed. Authentica’s applications span automotive, aerospace, maritime, defense, consumer goods, health, 3D bioprinting, and semiconductor sectors, as well as traditional manufacturing firms who seek enhanced cybersecurity for their models. The benefits for our clients are significant: for design owners, we offer IP protection, safeguarding original files even during transmission—a weakness in most platforms that simply encrypt but leave files unprotected. For buyers, we provide the assurance of genuine 3D-printed parts, unlike the risks often associated with parts bought through e-commerce sites like Amazon or eBay. Additionally, our platform minimizes wait times, enabling delivery within 72 hours compared to typical lead times that can stretch to over 100 days. This reduction in turnaround also cuts transportation needs by 90%, boosting both speed and sustainability. Finally, for additive manufacturers (AMs), we offer pre-certified, quality-assured 3D files, removing the need to spend days unpacking and validating each model—an efficiency gain that sets Authentica apart.
Reducing Emissions, Creating Jobs, and Ensuring Supply Chain Security
The impact of our platform is both environmental and economic. By optimizing the manufacturing and delivery process, we achieve a 40% reduction in CO₂ emissions across land, sea, and air logistics and a remarkable 90% reduction in overall transportation needs. Beyond environmental benefits, Authentica is generating high-paying local jobs, decreasing dependency on overseas manufacturing, and fueling local innovation. We’re especially focused on empowering young people and women in engineering, providing a foundation for entrepreneurship. With low startup costs, anyone can create their own design bureau or 3D printing service, sparking economic growth and technological development domestically rather than relying on imports from regions like China or India.
In aviation, for instance, our platform addresses a critical issue: the risk of counterfeit parts in the supply chain. By offering a secure, traceable digital supply chain, we bring together all stakeholders—OEMs, part suppliers, material suppliers, MROs, and even academia—into a unified, secure 3D printing ecosystem. This enables complete data traceability, certification, and quality documentation, crucial for maintaining safety and reliability in aerospace manufacturing. Traditional methods, like transferring files via USB, can be vulnerable to interception and manipulation, so our platform closes this security gap, ensuring a collaborative and secure approach to spare parts production in highly regulated industries
Real-World Impact and Challenges in Building a New Supply Chain Model
Stakeholder engagement has been extremely positive, especially in the automotive sector. For example, a major automotive supplier in Australia used our platform to distribute 14 key parts across the region, slashing lead times by 97% and cutting transportation needs by 90%. In another case, Toyota Angola faced a typical six-month wait for specific spare parts; with Authentica, they can now print these parts directly at dealerships. This reduces wait times to under 72 hours, allowing customers to get back on the road quickly. Given the success of these cases, dealerships are even exploring dedicated spaces to store 3D-printed parts, helping expand their inventory and reduce dependence on traditional supply chains.
However, building Authentica came with challenges. Initially, skepticism from the industry made it difficult to gain support; our model seemed too unconventional to some. Then, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when supply chains were interrupted, interest surged as companies began to see the value of our solution. Brexit also reinforced our focus on localized manufacturing. But funding remained a struggle, with grants highly competitive and building the right tech infrastructure proving to be complex. Developing Authentica was not merely about creating a Web3 or blockchain platform; it’s an integrated system connecting IoT, AI, blockchain, and cloud manufacturing. After reaching out to Oracle’s co-innovation team, we secured vital expertise, and with support from Innovate UK, we built a demonstrator now in use by Volvo and Toyota. This collaboration has been transformative, validating our mission and laying the groundwork for broader industry adoption.
