Not too long ago, the notion that products could be manufactured using a fairly simple, compact printer was straight out of a science fiction novel. But as with so many technological leaps, the once-foreign concept has become a reality as everything from plastics and food to human tissue is being produced using 3D printing. It may well be one of the most revolutionary technological advances that we have seen this century, and we believe the realm of possibility for 3D printing advancements is limited only by our imaginations.
When we examine sustainable design and manufacturing, we view 3D printing as bringing a tremendously positive impact. The technology has not yet evolved to replace full manufacturing processes, but in its current nascent form it does cut down on prototyping, waste, and transportation emissions—opening the door for more sustainable business practices across a range of industries.
Getting products to market faster excites sustainability experts due to the historic tie between job growth and mature production cycles. And where jobs are created, communities are developed that promote economic stability. In fact, localisation of production has a significant effect on major industries such as automotive manufacturing and aerospace. A strong community of workers leads to stronger products and higher returns. Just ask Detroit about ramifications when work is moved overseas.
The most immediate impact of 3D printing comes via modern prototyping. Using 3D printers allows designers to translate visually stunning plans into prototypes at extremely low costs. Opportunities come into play in a variety of industries; a prosthetic match, for example, can be created for an existing limb by using digital design, cutting down on multiple prototyping steps. This is a remarkable advance in sustainable design and a giant leap for healthcare.
Similarly, Ford is experiencing this firsthand, as the company is using 3D printing to create prototypes on its home turf. Sustainable design has been a valuable and imperative instrument for their growth; the company says it has dramatically reduced production time and costs by using 3D printing to shave months off development for parts, accessories and engine designs.
To date, the manufacturing and design process has been cumbersome, with high emissions and higher waste volumes. When organizations look to overseas labor as a way to secure cheap production costs, the negative effect on sustainability is often high. Prototypes need to be assembled abroad, shipped back to the US, fine-tuned, and shipped again. The cycle burns development time – and precious fuel.
It's no secret that fuel emissions lead to great environmental costs; by using 3D printers, manufactures are able to create designs without relying on gas-guzzling transportation vehicles. Digital design and 3D printing have the potential to all but eliminate those associated fuel costs and streamline the prototyping process. About 20% of the ouput of 3D printers is now final products rather than prototypes, leaving room for even more efficiency and impact within the manufacturing industry. Final products that would typically require large amounts of time are able to be brought to the marketplace quickly and efficiently.
As groundbreaking changes to 3D printing continue to unfurl, Reynders, McVeigh Capital Management continues to look across a wide range of industries that use 3D printers for higher impact. It is focused on companies such as Stratasys, which designs and manufactures 3D printers used primarily for prototyping and those such as Organova which sits on the cutting edge of implementation, using bioprinting technology to generate functional human tissues. Soon enough, it is hoped that human organs, tissues and bone replacements created from 3D printers will save lives and change the landscape of the medical profession, not to mention healthcare costs.
The introduction of 3D printers to the marketplace has profoundly revolutionized the way we view technology, labor, transportation and manufacturing. Localization of goods and services has been a hot topic in almost every part of the world—whether through the Slow Food movement or the push to bring manufacturing back to US communities. If we review the potential for raw printed materials such as metals, we predict building projects and homes will be completed with higher efficiency and speed.
Cars, organs and food are the next generation of 3D printed materials to breach the horizon, but the sky is the limit. The future of production is here, and one day we will see people driving to work in their aerodynamic cars and drinking a hot coffee on the way— both of which were created by a 3D printer.
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