Chapter 7
Understanding 3D Printing’s Effect on Traditional Lines of Business
IN THIS CHAPTER
Understanding changes to production
Challenging patents
Using expired designs
Being ethical
As we say in Chapter 1, the transformative potential of additive manufacturing is so great that it may one day bring about a third Industrial Revolution, one in which local production will displace less flexible and resource-intensive traditional manufacturing processes. This chapter discusses the potential disruptions resulting from this evolution and its likely impact on not only traditional manufacturing, but also personal individualized manufacturing.
Transforming Production
In addition to using sustainable alternative materials such as polylactic acid (PLA) instead of traditional petrochemical-based materials, additive manufacturing could repatriate manufacturing tasks currently outsourced to locations that offer lower-cost mass production. Such a shift in turn may affect the industries involved in the transportation and storage of mass product quantities and reduce the environmental impact ...
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