Will 3D Printing Majorly Disrupt nearly every Industry?

[Brian_Krassenstein]

We have to question whether 3D printing is about to or has already begun to have major disrupting powers over a variety of industries. The article written by Hannah Rose Mendoza here: http://3dprint.com/10574/3d-printed-surf-boards looks into how 3D printing may be about to change the world, making products cheaper, and higher quality. One example is a new company who is now 3D printing their own surf board at prices cheaper than that of traditional boards.

Let's hear your thoughts. Are we headed towards a pseudo-utopian society, or just one in which current products become cheaper, and new types of products will emerge which will be take the place of being the luxury items?

[Feign]

Okay, let me just be the first to say that the term "disruptive" is starting to become a more annoying buzzword than "Synergy" and "Paradigm" ever were.
No offence, just do the people writing these books even really know what they're saying anymore?

That said, 3D printing (additive manufacturing in general really) isn't going to tear down the big businesses unless the big businesses somehow lost their ability to adopt it themselves.

[oklok]

Answer is NO and YES!
It will affect many fields, but not for mass production. Companies do not invest in a machine that takes 4 h to make 1 part if the qty needed to make is 10 000 per week. However for smaller qty, then yes!

[penguinman78]

Okay, let me just be the first to say that the term "disruptive" is starting to become a more annoying buzzword than "Synergy" and "Paradigm" ever were.
No offence, just do the people writing these books even really know what they're saying anymore?

That said, 3D printing (additive manufacturing in general really) isn't going to tear down the big businesses unless the big businesses somehow lost their ability to adopt it themselves.

People who make and distribute Compact Disc music are able to adopt MP3 downloading. The point is, they have lost all of their income and market, the same goes for the Video Rental store. Last year I looked at the cost of tooling for some plastic parts for a Metal detector; around 10 thousand. This week, I drew and printed those same parts on a printer, and uploaded the files for free download. There is an endless list of physical objects that once had prohibitive setup cost (2 years ago) , which was a barrier to entry for individuals and businesses. Thanks to 3d printing, these have disappeared. If the word 'disruptive' can only be applied to 2 technologies, they should be: 1. Internet, 2. 3d printing.

[GOC]

- I don't believe that the industries themselves will be 'disrupted'. I feel that they will undergo and influential change. As mention above the additive manufacturing industry isn't great at high volume applications like making products that can be achieved through vacuum or injection molding. These methods also produce a more rigid part because its not susceptible to weaknesses derived from the layers produce in 3D printing.

- I do believe that 3D Printing will alter what companies charge for small plastic items and will 'disrupt' those companies who don't change. An example I can throw out is this; GoPro is charging a ridiculous $40 dollars for a basic mount and frame. If this was reasonably priced I would buy it for the rigidity, but at that price I've chosen to design and print my own. If companies don't start charging reasonable prices for accessories and replacement parts I believe you will find more people printing the items instead of buying them.

Edit Add:
- Another industry that need to get their prices in check is the cost for prosthetic limbs for our handicap. Neat article HERE for a $50 replacement hand.

[Yannick]

Okay, let me just be the first to say that the term "disruptive" is starting to become a more annoying buzzword than "Synergy" and "Paradigm" ever were.
No offence, just do the people writing these books even really know what they're saying anymore?

That said, 3D printing (additive manufacturing in general really) isn't going to tear down the big businesses unless the big businesses somehow lost their ability to adopt it themselves.

Have to agree "disrupt" is still misused and it is 2017.Please read before you use the word: "What Is Disruptive Innovation?
by Clayton M. Christensen, Michael E. Raynor, and Rory McDonald (2015) and How Useful Is theTheory of Disruptive Innovation? (Andrew A. King Baljir Baatartogtokh(2015)
Until now 3D printing have not done much ? It is starting to get cheaper and more people buy printers. I hope we see usage of sustainable and recyclable products soon made from new PLA.

[ano]

I will say 3D printing is "disrupting" a few areas. Take GE's use of printing of aircraft jet nozzles. This is a case where GE has just about phased out many processes to rely upon 3D printing. To make prototypes, GE has spent hundreds of millions of dollars and is certainly evolving the area if not disrupting the disrupting it. GE as a company has invested well over a billion dollars on 3D printing investments.

In many other areas its not so much disrupting as it is evolving. Some automotive companies are gearing up to provide replacement parts by 3D printing, as stocking many parts for many vehicles is very costly. But if you look at 3D printing of prosthetic hands with the e-Nable project (Google It) its quite hard to call this anything but disruptive. Its not replacing something else, but rather creating a BIG solution where none existed.

Things do take time, but give it 10 more yours, and I bet you will see much more proof.

[ralphzoontjens]

3D printing is just a different beast compared to traditional manufacturing. It behaves differently and is suited for different kinds of business processes and product assemblies.
That is why it is hard to put a finger on it.
For example, smartphones take up 35% of consumer electronics, and a large part of 3D printing happens in this area but there are no viable business cases because people's willingness-to-buy is too low.
So there will be much less disruptive / radical innovations / RNP's (really new products, yes this is an academic term!) than we may think and it will find its niches mostly in very high end applications, unless the 3D printing process speeds up by a factor and becomes automated, which is slowly happening.
Experts say that while now 3D printing is at 0.04% of global manufacturing, in 20 years it will reach 5%.

[curious aardvark]

well in 20 years there will be machines capable of making electronic goods from scratch, including making any circuits boards, building any body or surround material and even printing rechargeable batteries in place.
All these machines currently exist - just not all together in one unit - yet !

So yes, at that point, things will be seriously disrupted.

[Davo]

All hail our machine overlords. Will they exterminate us? Why wouldn't they?