CloudDDM announced an industrial 3D-printing facility at UPS Worldport in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 5, 2015. The arrangement paired digital manufacturing with UPS logistics to serve customers needing prototypes and production parts. The announcement—and later claims about same-day shipping—describes a historical service, not a guarantee that orders are accepted or delivered that way today.
What opened at the UPS hub?
CloudDDM said it had opened an industrial additive-manufacturing facility on the UPS Supply Chain Solutions campus at UPS Worldport in Louisville. In its May 5, 2015 launch announcement, the company described the facility as a way to produce parts near a major logistics hub and move them through UPS’s network.
The intended customers included designers, engineers, startups, small businesses, and larger manufacturers seeking prototypes or production parts. CloudDDM cofounder and CEO Mitch Free said the company believed direct digital manufacturing would require a new approach for additive manufacturing to reach its potential. UPS executive Mark Wallace said the Worldport location could use UPS’s integrated network and proximity to the airport to get printed parts to customers quickly.
How was the on-demand model meant to work?
Instead of making a large batch in advance and holding it as inventory, a customer could submit a digital design for printing when a part was needed. The facility would manufacture the item, while its location on the UPS campus was intended to connect production with shipping. That model can be useful for prototypes, replacement parts, or smaller production runs when maintaining stock is undesirable; whether it is suitable for a particular component depends on its material, dimensions, quality requirements, and delivery needs.
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The business rationale was speed and potentially less dependence on stored inventory, not a demonstrated universal cost or performance advantage. NIST’s 2018 account of print-on-demand spare parts quoted UPS vice president Alan Amling saying, “Inventory storage costs are massive.” That observation explains one motivation for on-demand manufacturing, but it does not establish that printing is cheaper than conventional sourcing for every part.
What did the later speed and network announcements claim?
Same-day shipping in 2015
On June 30, 2015, CloudDDM announced that it had started offering same-day shipping from the factory. The company presented this as a way to help customers meet deadlines and bring products to market faster. This was CloudDDM’s announcement about shipping from its factory; it was not an independently verified delivery-time result or a promise that every part could be produced and shipped the same day. See the June 30 announcement for the company’s wording.
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A distributed network announced in 2016
In May 2016, UPS described a broader U.S. on-demand manufacturing network connecting the Fast Radius platform—identified as formerly CloudDDM—with its Louisville factory and printers at more than 60 UPS Store locations. UPS’s May 18, 2016 announcement outlined that network at the time. Separately, UPS executive Alan Amling told a 2016 congressional hearing that store-based 3D printing had expanded beyond its initial customer response. Neither account establishes the network’s current size or availability.
What should a construction buyer evaluate?
For construction firms, on-demand printing may be worth considering for prototypes, fit-check models, or suitable production and replacement parts. The historical CloudDDM announcements do not establish that every construction component can be printed, meet project specifications, or substitute for a conventional part. Before relying on a service, check:
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- 500mm/s and 20000 mm/s² Acceleration True High Speed: Don't wait around for your masterpieces. Lightning-fast printing speed lets you focus on creating, not waiting.
- Enclosed Design: Fully enclosed body improves print performance for advanced filaments. Automatic Bed Leveling: Say hello to high-quality, successful prints. Auto bed leveling makes 3D printing such an easy thing.
- Set Up in 15 Minutes: Spend more time printing and less time setting up. User-friendly design ensures a hassle-free assembly experience for all skill levels.
- Supported Filament: Ideal: PLA, PETG, TPU, PVA, PET ABS, ASA; Capable : PA, PC; Not Recommended: Carbon/Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer.
- Part and material requirements: Confirm that the provider can make the geometry and material the application requires, and that the resulting part meets applicable project and safety specifications.
- Quality and documentation: Ask what tolerances, inspection, traceability, and documentation are available for the intended use.
- Quantity and schedule: Get a quoted production lead time and delivery estimate for the actual design and quantity; do not infer either from a general same-day-shipping claim.
- Total cost: Compare the complete quote—including production and delivery—with conventional sourcing, factoring in quantity, urgency, and any inventory or tooling considerations.
The available historical announcements provide no independently verified head-to-head cost or performance comparison. A provider’s quote and technical details for the particular part are therefore more useful than a broad claim about the speed or economics of 3D printing.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can customers order from CloudDDM today?
The dated announcements establish what CloudDDM and UPS said about the service in 2015 and 2016, but they do not establish whether CloudDDM, Fast Radius, or a successor currently accepts orders, what locations are served, or what delivery options are available. Verify current operations, capabilities, and terms directly with a provider before specifying the service for a project.
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