3D printing to trigger a new center of the Industrial revolution?

February 5 News, science and technology progress rapidly, many science fiction concept has become a reality. From the prototype design to the tooling, 3D printing (also known as additional material manufacturing) has been extended to complete production of terminal components and replacement parts. Whether it's 3D-printed bionic ears, 3D-printed cake toppings, or a few hours of 3D-printed dream house, 3D printing is changing every aspect of life.

Voorhis (wohlers) 2014 report shows that by 2018, the 3D printing industry will be 3.07 billion U.S. dollars in 2013 to increase the value of 12.8 billion U.S. dollars, to 2020 the number will be more than 21 billion U.S. dollars.

As a result, it is not surprising that HP, the printing giant, has also entered the market. The company has launched a 3D printer for the enterprise market, which is cheaper but runs fast. So would this be the first step in the "revolutionary" manufacturing movement toward the scale of industrialization that technology ultimately needs? Is it the first step towards bringing the product or concept of the universe into the digital world so that people can produce 3D printed products in any corner of the world?

It does have a huge potential for subversion. How much of this happens and when it happens depends, of course, on a number of factors, involving economics, technical feasibility and policy regulation. The consumer-grade 3D printer market grew by 200% between 2007 and 2011, according to McKinsey, a consultancy. So will the growth rate rise to 400% in the future?

Before answering those questions, take a look at the application and results of the 3D printing technology in the field of printing prototypes, toys, and models.

In the medical field, 3D printing (collectively known as biological printing) of complex living tissue is opening new avenues for regenerative medicine. As the understanding of this technology improves, researchers are even trying to stimulate natural healing mechanisms in the body, specifically through the manufacture of porous structures that help to stabilize the bones. This advanced technology, combined with stem cell research, may change the area of customized organs to some extent to meet the needs of patients for transplant organs. Using 3D printing technology, even parts of the body that are so complex as the brain can replicate, allowing physicians to simulate complex medical operations.

As an early adopters of 3D printing technology, the aerospace industry has been designing large and small 3D print parts to save time, materials and costs for research and development. 3D printing is also a big boon for aerospace manufacturers – weight reduction. By making non-critical components on demand to maintain just-in-time inventory, it also accelerates supply chain operations. This additive manufacturing function is large, which eliminates several manufacturing steps and the tooling process that accompanies it.

The auto industry is already using 3D printing technology and is already launching a showroom for open source 3D print cars. Local Motors are a surprise – 3D printing of its car Strati at the International Manufacturing Technology Fair (IMTS) in Chicago. What are the challenges of 3D printing auto parts? Will we not smell the burnt rubber again? Future generations may ask, what's the big deal? What about robots with muscle-tissue-driven components?

The 3D print "bio-robot" developed by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign may be flexible to move and navigate. After this breakthrough, researchers are exploring the possibility of designing machines that have a sense of responding to complex environmental signals.

Where will this lead us?

3D printing technology is obviously getting more and more hot, which is not without reason. 3D printing technology is bound to turn production mode into individual production, it is bound to expose many inefficient production problems. Of course, not everything can be 3D printed, but the more extensive use of 3D printers, may reduce the logistics demand, because the design can be digital transfer, leading to the manufacture of the central and customization. 3D scanning as an enabling technology will also help create ecosystems to support users. 3D-Layered manufacturing mode can be used flexibly and efficiently to create intricate geometry, thus alleviating the waste of resources caused by traditional manufacturing methods.

By reducing the cost and complexity of production, 3D printing will force companies to pursue different ways to differentiate their products. It will also help companies upgrade their after-sales service by facilitating the demand-making of replacement parts. As product manufacturing goes closer to consumers, consumers will quickly become producers.

Of course, in addition to the traditional forces, policy provisions and other issues, the industry will face other obstacles to development. This will depend on its socio-economic impact in the short term, as the positive results of such a revolution are often difficult to anticipate.

By 2025, according to McKinsey, the potential economic effects of various types of 3D printing will increase from $230 billion trillion to $550 billion trillion, with the biggest economic benefits expected to come from consumer use, followed directly by manufacturing. As the application of 3D printing continues to grow wider, it remains to be seen how those industries will fuse and influence the future of the manufacturing.

Almost all walks of life are trying to seize the 3D printing opportunities to create innovation, ready to jump into the center of the Industrial Revolution. Are you ready?

(Responsible editor: Mengyishan)