For the long haul the metal sintering and printing companies are the real prize which is why DDD just picked one up.
From Knowledge@Wharton:
3-D printing sounds like the stuff of science fiction: A technology that potentially can create any object of one's imagination, even human organs, with just a few computer instructions. To Star Trek fans, the technology may evoke memories of Captain Picard ordering his favorite cup of tea using a voice-activated replicator on the Starship Enterprise: "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot."
But 3-D printing is real and creating renewed excitement these days. While not exactly a Star Trek replicator, a 3-D printer uses computer images to make -- or "print" -- three-dimensional objects. People can create anything from plastic knickknacks, toys and jewelry to a prosthetic webbed foot for a crippled duck, a human kidney and even a gun -- although whether the firearm will work effectively is a matter of debate.
3-D printing has been around since 1983 when Charles Hull invented stereolithography, a process that builds objects one layer at a time. The technology was used by industries to rapidly develop prototypes, hard-to-find parts and unique designs. Businesses saved time and money by being able to construct their own models, no matter how complex the build, instead of sending the job out. In recent years, home 3-D printers have begun to appear. They are simpler to operate, much cheaper and use non-toxic materials. Suddenly, a home factory is within every consumer's reach -- or so the optimists hope.
In February, 3-D printing got a boost from U.S. President Barack Obama. During his state of the union address, he singled out a Youngstown, Ohio, warehouse that was reopened as a state-of-the-art 3-D printing lab. Obama said the technology has "the potential to revolutionize the way we make almost everything." He announced the launch of three more such hubs and asked Congress to help create a network of 15 sites. Obama was referring to the industrial use of 3-D printers to revive America's manufacturing sector, but the spotlight on the technology helped bring in a rush of products for the consumer market.
In May, office supplies chain Staples announced it would start carrying a 3-D printer for consumers called the Cube. Made by 3D Systems, a company founded by Hull, the Cube costs $1,300 at retail. A far cry from the stark industrial 3-D printers that used complicated computer-aided design -- or CAD -- software, the Cube is available in five cheery colors and is a "plug and play" device with "no training required," according to Staples's website.
In July, eBay launched a 3-D printing service called eBay Exact where consumers can order customizable products. Prices range from $9 for an iPhone case to $350 for a metal ring. Even Amazon.com has a dedicated "store" for 3-D printers and supplies now. Meanwhile, Microsoft is jumping on the bandwagon by adding support for 3-D printers in its upcoming Windows 8.1 update. Making a 3-D object from your computer "will be as easy as writing a document in Word and sending it to print," wrote Shanen Boettcher, general manager of the firm's startup business group, in a June 26 blog post. "We want this to be so simple anyone can set up their own table-top factory."
Niche Market -- for Now
But just because 3-D printers have become more affordable does not mean many consumers will take to them. Wharton practice professor David Robertson is not convinced it will be widely adopted by the general public. "I'm not sure it will penetrate past the hobbyist market," he says. Robertson, who teaches innovation and product development, should know. He owns two Makerbot 3-D printers that cost a few thousand dollars each. The printers enable him to make such things as a Sumo robot toy for his son and sleeves for a lamp that broke. But he notes that 3-D printing is better suited to special jobs rather than run-of-the-mill creations.
Robertson compares home 3-D printing with home photo printing. Even though photo printers are affordable to consumers, most people do not own one but instead send the work out to a service that can produce high quality prints easily and inexpensively. The consumer also saves money by not having to buy costly photo paper and ink cartridges. Robertson believes the 3-D printing market will behave in the same way. While some hobbyists will want to own their printers, most folks may prefer to order from a 3-D printing service because it is easier and may be cheaper.
The home 3-D printer's limitations also crimp its appeal. It uses only one material at a time -- most commonly plastic -- when most objects are made of multiple materials. While printer prices have fallen from tens of thousands to as low as several hundred, they still generally range from $1,000 to $2,000, Robertson notes. Then there is the cost of the materials that go into making the products.
Moreover, home 3-D printers can be "finicky. They can break down right when you need them and require some skill and patience to keep working," Robertson adds. "The parts also aren't that accurate -- they can droop and shrink while being printed." Finally, the 3-D printing process can take hours or even days to finish a job.
Customize, Customize
So where does that leave 3-D printing? It is a revolutionary technology best suited for unique products for both consumer and business uses, but the process is not efficient enough for mass production. "The technology will be used in production in cases where demand is sporadic or where true customization is required. Those are not insignificant uses, but I don't see how the technologies will be revolutionary or disruptive in manufacturing," notes Karl Ulrich, Wharton's vice dean of innovation and professor of operations and information management.
Ulrich explains that 3-D printing is a technology that works as a collection of additive manufacturing processes in which a part can be created directly from a digital file. One of the most common ways it works is for a fine ribbon of molten plastic to be squirted one thin layer at a time to form an object, he says. In a June 12 column he wrote for The Wall Street Journal on the topic, Ulrich notes that "3-D printing is intrinsically serial in nature; each unit of material has to be laid down sequentially. As a result, 3-D printing is very slow" compared to other manufacturing processes like molding....MORE
