The Disruptive Technological of 3D Printing

What is Disruptive Technology?

  1. Disruptive technology completely sways or changes a system in place. A new technology becomes disruptive when it causes changes in how businesses, consumers, and industries operate. A technology shows how superior it is to the old technology which not only causes the replacement but changes the system. Disruptive technology are both positive and negative as a new technology can provide many advances that benefit society such as new medical technology. However, disruptive technology can negatively affect society through deskilling or automation that replaces jobs. Disruptive technology impacts all aspects of society where systems are completely changed due to the introduction of a new technology.

The Disruptive Technology of 3D printing and How it has Affected the system of Manufacturing Goods

  1. 3D printing is a form of disruptive technology that is beginning to change the manufacturing industry. 3D printing has caused a shift in how many major companies manufacture their goods as 3D printing has reduced costs and resources used. 3D printing has changed the system of manufacturing such as how manufacture goods are made, how companies are benefitting from 3D printing, and the economic affects of 3D printing.

How 3D Printing has changed how goods are being produced

  1. 3D printing has greatly affected the manufacturing industry as it has created a positive change for many companies. The use of 3D printing has allowed for huge costs reductions while being extremely efficient with resources.
  2. 3D printing has affected the use of prototypes and almost eliminating them altogether. Prototypes are an extremely important part of producing a product as lay the groundwork for the product. Usually prototypes are handmade models that take up a large amount of time and money. (Mohr, Omera) However, the 3D printer has been able to print prototypes which can saved both time and money. This shows the disruptive nature of 3D printers were they have changed the whole system of prototypes and how they are used by companies. (Mohr, Omera)
  3. The use of additive manufacturing and 3D printing has allowed for huge waste reductions for companies. In additive manufacturing, a 3D printer is able to design its product using raw materials but have no left over material. This is also contributed to the removal of overproduction as well as large inventories where only what is needed is produced. The absence of left over materials have greatly reduced waste and costs for many companies that have adopted the 3D printer. (How 3D Printing) Similarly to additive manufacturing, 3D printer has been a great method of manufacturing for benefitting the environment. The reduction of waste has benefitted the environment greatly as many companies do not have to dump waste that can potentially be harmful to the environment. (How 3D Printing)

Applications of 3D printing and how companies have focused on 3D printing (Columbus)


3D printed Eiffel tower time lapse


How Companies are Benefiting from 3D Printing

  • The use of 3D printing has benefitted many companies that have adopted it where they have seen improvements in efficiency, human input, and increased productivity.
  • 3D printing has become a disruptive technology due to its impact it has on the efficiency of the system. 3D printers are able to speed of the system by greatly reducing the production line where previously faulty production lines can caused a variety of delays. (Kothma) The single system of a 3D printer can increase efficiency of production and eliminating the damaging affects of faulty lines.
  • Companies are able to reduce a large amount of costs as 3D printing decreases the amount of human input needed throughout production. 3D printing does not required the save amount of labor as tradition manufacturing does as mostly the systems are ran by computers. The reduction of required human input for 3D printing benefits companies greatly through a reduction of costs. (Kothma) The less human input shows a negative effect on the disruptive nature of 3D printing where potentially many jobs can be lost to this technology.
  • The creation of 3D printing has shown to greatly benefit the means of production for many manufacturing companies. 3D printing has greatly influenced and changed the manufacturing industry where the technology is not only a perfect example of disruptive technology but technological determinism. As the creation of this technology has determined the method on how companies are going to produce goods.

Economic Effects of 3D Printing

  • 3D printing creates many economic opportunities for companies as they are able to reduce costs and increase productivity. The use of this technology allows for companies to grow economic and reinvest the reduced costs back into their company.
  • 3D printing greatly affects labor as the disruptive technology will remove many unskilled labor jobs; however, it will create a higher demand for skilled jobs. Due to the automation of 3D printing and how it removes human input from the production line many jobs will be lost to the technology. The technology does create a demand for skilled technical jobs to run the systems. (Schutter) The loss of jobs can negatively many people and families in years to come; however, the demand for skilled workers will push people to become more skilled and adapt to the changing labor market. (Irene) The early job loss can not only push people to become skilled workers but allow for more jobs in the 3D printing sector in the future.
  • The use of 3D printing will allow for many companies to experience economic success; however, the use of this technology also affects a variety of small business. 3D printers can make many small details during manufacturing that cannot be achieved throughout traditional manufacturing. This tool can great help the productivity of many small business where the small details could potentially be done for them. (Irene) 3D printing gives companies large and small the opportunity to save time and reduce production costs that they can use to better their business.

Economic Effects of 3D Printing (Staff)

Conclusion

  • The disruptive technology of 3D printing has created many positive but also negative effects in the manufacturing industry. The 3D printing created a shift in how companies manufactured and produced their products as costs, resources, and waste were all reduced. The creation of 3D printing impacted how goods were produced, how companies were able to benefit from the technology, and how the economy was altered. 3D printing provided many benefits for companies as they were able to reduce costs by eliminating prototypes and waste. The technology is also able to greatly increase productivity by removing extra or unnecessary parts of production. Lastly, 3D printing is able to provide companies both large and small with great economic growth. Many jobs will be lost to 3D printing in the beginning; however, this will increase the demand for skilled workers that will add many jobs in the future. 3D printing is a prime example of a disruptive technology as it completely shapes the manufacturing industry through technological determinism.

Sources

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https://www.forbes.com/sites/louiscolumbus/2019/05/27/the-state-of-3d-printing-2019/

How 3D Printing is Impacting Manufacturing. (n.d.). Retrieved July 17, 2020, from

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Irene J Petrick, and Timothy W Simpson. “3D Printing Disrupts Manufacturing.” Research

Technology Management, vol. 56, no. 6, Taylor & Francis Ltd, Nov. 2013, p. 12–.

Kothman, Ivo, and Niels Faber. “How 3D Printing Technology Changes the Rules of the Game:

Insights from the Construction Sector.” Journal of Manufacturing Technology 

Management, vol. 27, no. 7, Sept. 2016, pp. 932–43, doi:10.1108/JMTM-01-2016-0010.

Mohr, Sebastian, and Omera Khan. “3D Printing and Its Disruptive Impacts on Supply Chains of

the Future.” Technology Innovation Management Review, vol. 5, no. 11, Talent First

Network, Nov. 2015, pp. 20–25, doi:10.22215/timreview/942.

Schutter, G. D., Lesage, K., Mechtcherine, V., Nerella, V. N., Habert, G., & Agusti-Juan, I.

(2018). Vision of 3D printing with concrete — Technical, economic and environmental 

potentials. Cement and Concrete Research, 112, 25-36. 

doi:10.1016/j.cemconres.2018.06.001

Staff, T. (2019, March 08). 3D printing's economic impact. Retrieved July 27, 2020, from

https://www.todaysmedicaldevelopments.com/article/3d-printings-economic-impact/

Applications of 3D printing and how companies have focused on 3D printing (Columbus)

Economic Effects of 3D Printing (Staff)