Aug.30, 2012
3D printing and 3D scanning are going to change many current industries, especially in shipping industry. Final products which were previously produced in China or other Asia countries could be 'near-sourced' to North America and Europe. The cost & time of prototyping and designing in the manufacturing process will be halved or even less. The logistics of raw materials will be more important than that of final products.
With a 3D printer, many products can be produced 'just-in- time' and inventory will shift from finished products to raw materials and semi-finished good. No more expensive ocean crossing shipments - there will be less opportunities for the current logistics companies.
John Manners-Bell, CEO of Transport Intelligence and technology innovator Ken Lyon has written a white paper 'The Implications of 3D Printing on Global Supply Chains' explaining how much 3D printing could influence the global logistics industry.
What is future of the logistics company? "Their businesses will comprise a mix of software development, delivery services, partner relationship management, contract management and brainpower."
"The new logistics company will design solutions comprising demand planning, manufacturing, delivery, market monitoring, service parts management and return and recycling services. In essence, they will become Product Life-Cycle Management service providers."says the Ti whitepaper.
This is a big opportunity for companies and organizations who have the right resources to support this innovation.
"It is clear that if the larger logistics companies delay or ignore the implications of this trend, they are vulnerable to new kinds of organisations or associations that will match or leap ahead of their capabilities," warned Manners-Bell in the paper.
Read the free whitepaper here.
Posted in 3D Printing Technology
Maybe you also like:
- New 3-way extruder and color blending nozzle developed for multi-colour/material 3D printing
- Will Amazon embrace 3D printing?
- 3D printing identified in Gartner's 2012 Hype Cycle for emerging technology
- White House announced new manufacturing hub in Ohio to promote 3D printing
- Thiel Foundation announces new grant for 3D printed meat
- Infographic: 3D Printing explained
- Global 3D printing market expected to reach US$2.99 billion by 2018
- Researchers develops new SLM method to produce 3D aluminium composite parts
- Future of Medicine: 3D-printing new organs
- Researchers to develop 3D printer to enable printing of 3D silicon micro- and nanostructures
- DARPA crowd-sourcing new technologies through makers
- Sky News reports 3D printing could re-shape the world
- 3D Printing with Clear Acrylic
- Scientists create robot which can 3D-print its own tools
- US government has high expectation from 3D Printing
- 3D printing robot produces "satellite lamp" from recycled CD cases
- TNO shows new platform that makes 3D printing for mass production possible
Very interesting article and whitepaper! As a student at the University at Buffalo working on a Business Admin degree with a concentration in Supply Chain and Operations Management, as well as a minor in Environmental Studies, I am very intrigued by the concept of 3D printing as a way to help supply chains become more green. I wonder, though — how do you feel this technology will impact the Supply Chain / Logistics occupation? Seems like there is the potential for some significant changes in the future. I’m excited! Kyle Ephraim https://plus.google.com/114491067289114652307/posts