If I am to judge by some reports, in the foreseeable future we are going to print out everything that is loose and stuck; houses, pizzas, printers, and whatnot. I'm originally from Amsterdam and my attention is regularly drawn to the fact that a bridge has been printed there. My response is invariably that my customers are not waiting for this and that, for the time being, money needs to be added to get that bridge built. In other words, with everything we hear about what is printable now and in the future, many an organisation can no longer see the wood for the trees. This sometimes leads to a muddled view of what 3D printing can really do for the manufacturing industry.
We should also not lose sight of the fact that other production techniques are also evolving and will never be replaced by 3D printing. Just think of the production numbers that can be achieved with injection moulding; those numbers are many bridges too far for 3D printing. It is therefore especially important to give 3D printing the right place alongside existing production techniques within your organisation and to find the right applications for it.
However, it should be clear that 3D printing is a prominent element of the fourth industrial revolution and is having an impact in several areas;
Earnings models:
3D printing allows you, for example, to improve or modify product features where so that customer-specific products can be delivered. Another important development is that more and more organisations are using the technology to produce small series.
Product life cycles:
In markets with short product life cycles, 3D printing offers a solution in the pursuit of a quick time-to-market. On the other hand, organisations can also use it to extend the life cycle of a product because design modifications can be made more easily.
Supply chain:
Another advantage is of course there is no need to keep stock of parts that are printed (remember the three R's of inventory management) and the cost of tooling is also eliminated.
Intellectual property:
As 3D printing offers new opportunities to innovate, new ways of dealing with intellectual property also emerge. For example, this could be the specific knowledge that a 3D-printing service provider provides to deliver a design that can only be printed out, or partnerships where co-creation and therefore knowledge is shared by several parties.
Skills:
For many an organisation, it is still difficult to build up the right knowledge to make the most of the freedom of design offered by 3D printing. They need to make a move here and start 'thinking in reverse' by starting with functionality when designing and not from a particular production technique.
In short, I think it is mainly the task of consultancies and 3D printing service providers to explain to their clients the right value of 3D printing and look for the right applications together with them. In doing so, we should not be distracted by all that is possible with 3D printing; rather, we should look for applications that do not have limitations of conventional production techniques or offer new opportunities in the market.
And with good cooperation and thus bringing together the right areas of expertise, the most beautiful applications can emerge!
This blog was written by Daniël Hoogstraate. View his profile here.
