Is the Supply Chain Ready for 3D Printing?

The word "printer" typically conjures up the image of a box-like machine that spits out flat, one-dimensional paper versions of what someone is looking at on his or her computer screen. That perception could shift over the next few years as 3D printing becomes more affordable and accessible for a larger number of users.

Traditionally priced at $10,000 and up, 3D printers turn digital models into three-dimensional objects. Those objects are made by "layering" plastic, metal, or other materials - a process that distinguishes 3D printing from machining equipment (which uses cutting and drilling techniques to "remove" materials).

It may not take long for more 3D printers to find their way onto the manufacturing floor or design lab. In Five Technology Trends to Watch, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) put 3D printing at the top of its 2013 list. Quoting a Wohlers Associates report, the CEA says that the market for 3D printing will reach $3.7 billion by 2015, up from $1.7 billion. The top industry currently served by 3D printing firms is consumer products/ electronics at 20.3 percent, followed by the motor vehicle (19.5 percent) and medical/dental (15.1 percent) industries, according to Wohlers.

As 3D printing gains in popularity, its applicability will likely surpass the engineers and inventors who use it to create prototypes. In his recent blog post, What Could 3D Printing Mean for the Supply Chain?, for example, Andrew Bell of Kinaxis pondered the technology's impact on the classic supply chain.

Bell sees local manufacturing (more things will be made closer to their final destinations); customizability (it will be easier, faster, ...