Pros And Cons Of 3D Printing

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In 1986, Chuck Hull developed 3D printing. Since then, products ranging from cars and robotic aircraft to gold and prosthetic jaw have been manufactured (Grynol, N.A.). Using a computer-aided design software application, a 3D image of the product can be created and sent to a 3D printer (Toro, 2013). According to Exhibit 1, the 3D printer will squirt materials, such as plastic, layer by layer, before curing and hardening the completed product will UV light from the laser beam (Grynol, N.A.). Trends and Forecasts The 3D printer industry is expected to disrupt industries like consumer products and medical in the future (Gebler, Uiterkamp, & Visser, 2014). According to Gartner, between 2012 and 2018, the compound annual growth rate of 106.6%…show more content…
For developed countries with an aging population, this high level of automation will be economically beneficial for them (Campbell, Williams, Ivanova, & Garrett, 2011). For developing countries, 3D printing means that they can rely less on costly imports by producing their own. Because of how localized the production of 3D-printed objects are as compared to traditional methods, the comparative advantage(s) of a country cheaper labour cost and/or advanced technology is decreased. Thus, there is less of a need for importing countries to rely on imports (Campbell, Williams, Ivanova, & Garrett, 2011). With 3D printing, the necessity for centralized manufacturing will decline, thereby shortening the supply chain (Reeves, 2008), which will also change from physical products to digital designs, thereby decreasing the product’s time-to-market (Campbell, Williams, Ivanova, & Garrett, 2011). Environmental…show more content…
Thus, since products made by both 3D printing and conventional injection molding machines use the same type of plastic (MaRS Market Insights, 2013), when these products are disposed of, they will contribute to the increasing amount of plastics in landfills. However, as 3D printers can print products just-in-time, the need for stocking up physical inventories will be replaced by digital inventories. This is because warehouses storing unsold physical inventory use electricity for heating, cooling and lighting while digital files for a 3D printed machine part require cheaper storage (Lipson & Kurman, 2013). Being localized, 3D printing shortens the supply chains which in turn reduce the necessity of transporting products over long distances to factories, followed by assembly lines, and finally to consumers. Accordingly, this reduces the carbon spoors of supply chains because shortened supply chain reduces fuel emissions from trucks, planes and ships that transport products (Lipson & Kurman,

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