3D printing- The power to change the supply chain forever:

3D printing is the layering of materials to produce finished goods. 3D printing is no longer about using plastic; it is about different materials such as metal, concrete, and food used as part of the 3D printing process. So, what does this mean for supply chains? 3D printing is no longer innovated technology from the future; it is here and now. 3D printing can help reduce supply complexities, significantly reduce costs, overcome geopolitical risks/tariffs, improve customer service, increase the speed to market a product, reduce global impact and carbon footprint, and allow remote locations to print replacement parts. This technology can help companies drive innovation for competitive advantage. Whether you believe the technology will revolutionize the production and supply chain process or enhance it, you cannot afford to ignore it. Take a moment and ask yourself how you think 3D printing will impact supply chain management in your organization.

So, what is 3D printing?

3D printing is a process which uses a three-dimensional digital model to create a physical object by adding layer-by-layer of material while using a computer-created design in succession, subsequently lowering cost by cutting out waste and are built up to create a 3D part. Industrial-style 3D printers inject materials in successive patterns to build a three-dimensional object. The term "additive manufacturing" is used to explain this principle. Various technologies are applied, but all have the same objective: to create complex designs and customizable products individually with less effort than traditional manufacturing processes.

Let's take a look at how 3D printing is shaping the future of the supply chain:

As 3D printing builds items layer by layer, it enables design freedom. 3D printing operators only need to know how to operate the equipment and materials. This is compared to traditional manufacturing, which requires careful studying of manufacturing and assembling. While 3D printing does not replace mass production, it opens a world of opportunities for product personalization. Reduction in inventory levels can become a reality, as parts can be made to order on-site or at a local supply source. Meeting consumer demands for bespoke products at a realistic price can leverage new market opportunities. Environmental impact can be radically reduced as we remove by-products from the manufacturing process and cease to ship goods around the globe. The products produced by 3D printing are also often lighter and stronger, produced locally and require fewer natural resources as they are built up rather than boring out, which all contribute to your organization's sustainability goals.

How will 3D printing change the supply chain?

1. Decentralize production - It will enable businesses to take production to local markets or customers faster. As a result, we will shift away from mass production in low-cost countries in favour of more local assembly hubs. Companies can produce components closer to home rather than rely on imports. This is especially important during geopolitical tension, for example, during a war or global pandemic when the cost of purchasing components globally can increase rapidly.

2. Last-mile shipping will increase - As more of the manufacturing will move to be local, last-mile transportation will increase.

3. Rationalize inventory and logistics - As 'on demand' production becomes the norm, the need to transport physical goods across countries and continents will reduce. Combined with the lower number of SKUs required for production, this will significantly impact warehousing and logistics and will have the potential to overcome tariffs. Replacement parts will be stored as data models in virtual warehouses and printed on demand. The logistics sector will be affected. As manufacturing processes are simplified, supply chains will be shorter, and the demand for transport will change.

4. Customization - 3D printing technology gives manufacturers unprecedented freedom to tailor offerings to clients' specific requirements and enhance the customer experience. This will result in more agile supply chains which can rapidly adapt to changes in the market. Eventually, we could see the design, production, and distribution merge into one supply chain function with greater client involvement in the entire design and production process.

5. Reduce complexity and improve time-to-market - 3D printing technology consolidates the number of components and processes required for manufacturing. This will significantly impact global supply chains, decreasing complexities, saving on production costs, enhancing lead times and improving time-to-market.

6. The Improvement of resource efficiency - 3D printing will make the world greener and more sustainable. 3D printing is a 'greener,' more energy-efficient and cost-efficient production method. It creates almost zero waste, lowers the risk of overproduction and excess inventory and reduces the carbon footprint. It takes 'Just-in-Time' manufacturing to a new level.

7. Continues Growth in the 3D desktop printers market- Due to the increase of 3D printers in the supply chain industry and on the manufacturing floor, there will be continued growth in the 3D printer industry.

How will 3D printing affect manufacturing?

As technology in 3D printing has improved, the ability to make more oversized items and more complex objects has become more commonplace. Some manufacturers use 3D printing technology to make lighter airplane parts, custom prosthetic devices, and small-scale models to prototype and test new designs.

Where can we already find 3D printing?

While 3D printing technology may sound like science fiction, it is science fact, making its presence felt right now. Here are a few more real-world places that started using 3D printing, such as the medical industry, construction, food, automotive, aerospace and more.

How does 3D printing help sustainability, you may ask?

Well, 3D printing is a sustainable manufacturing method that can contribute to your organization's sustainability goals and reduce environmental impact. Compared to traditionally manufactured goods, 3D printing requires less energy when producing a small series of items. 3D printed products need less long-haul transportation resulting in reduced C02 emissions.

3D printing may shift employment from developing to developed countries, reducing unemployment rates in deprived areas. 3D printing does not generate waste, making it a solution to support waste reduction.

The main benefits of 3D printing:

There are many benefits that organizations can leverage from the adoption of this technology:

• Reduced production times.

• Lower inventory levels and fewer obsolete products.

• Printing-on-demand using digital files.

• Fewer suppliers through consolidating purchases.

• Local supply means cheaper transport and easier logistics.

• Increased Responsiveness.

While the benefits are attractive, organizations face significant challenges when considering implementing 3D printing into their manufacturing methods.

• Inconsistency - 3D printing is not standardized. The product quality can vary from printer to printer, which brings a great deal of risk.
• High costs - A 3D printer is not cheap, particularly if you want to manufacture large volumes of goods with many layers.
• Knowledge - 3D printers are complex machines, and employees may find them challenging to operate. This brings additional costs, such as investing time and money in training the right people to use the devices.
• Intellectual property rights: There remain concerns over the freedom to generate items on a 3D printer that may breach intellectual property rights.
• Speed of output: The desire to bring 3D printing into the manufacturing process is outweighed by the output capacity of the 3D printer. Technology is evolving at a slower speed than demand.

How does 3D printing help supply chains?

The 3D printer could be set to revolutionize future supply chains by reducing supply complexities, increasing the speed to market of products, reducing global impact by limiting the shipping of goods around the globe, while enabling the printing of replacement parts in remote locations.

Finally, How has 3D printing made an impact on productivity?

There you have it—a brief review of 3D printing's impact on your company's supply chain process, a much-needed competitive advantage. It allows you to produce prototypes faster, reduces the cost of production, requires less input (human resources and equipment), make a sustainable change and reduces overhead. Additionally, efficiency and productivity are vastly improved.