The 3D Printing Supply Chain at the End of the Universe

Most of us laypeople have a fanciful concept of 3D printing.

It evokes visions of Star Trek. “Replicators” in that universe convert energy into atoms and organize that matter into anything.

The reality is more prosaic. But it’s still cool.

Additive manufacturing, the stuffier name for 3D printing, encompasses diverse techniques and materials that have evolved since the early 1980s. Industry continuously finds new applications that create efficiencies in their supply chains.

And it started with lasers, so how can it not be cool? And what kind of impact will 3D printing have on business, beyond heavy manufacturing?

A Brief History of 3D Printing

3D printing was born in the early 1980s as a cost-effective method for product development, such as accurate scale modeling of a car from plastic.

Competing methods emerged. Some applied lasers to liquid polymer or powdered metals to form models. Others dispensed molten plastic or metal in layers that hardened instantly. Computer processing guaranteed precision from design to execution.

Processes and methods became more sophisticated through the 1990s. Manufacturers used expensive systems to fabricate tools or complex parts for aerospace, automotive, and medical device production.

Meanwhile, the lower end “concept modeling” continued to evolve to be more user-friendly for use in an office.

Prices began to drop in 2007 with the first additive manufacturing system to come in at under $10,000.

Today and Tomorrow

Global 3D printing services and products market surpassed $5 billion in 2015. It’s expected to boom in the next eight years.

Big companies got into it in 2016.

Mercedes Benz launched a 3D-printed spare parts service. Hewlett-Packard planned to invest millions in its own effort, while companies like GE and BMW backed a startup called Carbon, which is developing a new technology that may be used to produce everything from sneakers to industrial parts.

Additive manufacturing has clearly taken root. The run-on effect on all supply chains seems obvious, even if the details still need to be worked out.

As a report from DHL notes, there are good reasons to see 3D printing as an up and coming disruptor.

It brings design, engineering and manufacturing closer together, decreasing the number of steps required in production.

It can reduce supply chain complexity. Shipping, storage, and other costs may fall, because parts can be made less expensively, or components can be manufactured locally and not imported or shipped.

It’s quite possible that at some point, manufacturers across many sectors may see a benefit in their supply chains.