3D printing deserves due attention from managers and policymakers in the coming years, as the technology is going to affect the entire world trade. This was stated by the World Economic Forum last week in a report presented at the Davos climate summit.
3D printing (abbreviated 3DP in the report) is going to impact business and politics in several ways, according to the researchers. It offers several different new opportunities, with prototyping currently representing the most. "3DP decentralises production by making parts close to consumption," the report writes. "Designs that were previously complicated to make can now be easily 3D printed. This provides many 'enticing' opportunities. For example, hollow or honeycomb structures can significantly reduce lifecycle costs in many applications, such as aerospace. Mass customisation can become a reality, with 3DP as the main driver."
Disrupting markets
If digital manufacturing is widely adopted, experts say it will disrupt several markets, such as automotive, healthcare, construction, fashion and food. "The technology is being accelerated by passionate and talented players who are coming up with ever more modern and faster ways of 3D printing and materials, and coming up with new business models to match the benefits of 3DP."
WEF's report focuses not only on the impact of 3D printing on manufacturing, but also on trade, border control, supply chains, legislation and the environment. "3DP was invented more than 30 years ago, but has not yet penetrated manufacturing very emphatically. In 2018, 3D printing accounted for less than 0.1% of global manufacturing sales (Wohlers Associates, 2019). Decision-makers treat 3DP as yet another tool, perform return-on-investment and qualification analyses, just as they did with other new technologies, such as numerical control. Instead of treating 3DP as a technology in its own right, they have integrated 3DP-related decisions into business, product and operational strategies because of the disruptive nature of 3DP. Governments and intergovernmental organisations have the ability to develop regulatory strategies to maximise benefits and mitigate potential unintended consequences."
The full report can be read here.
