Integrating 3D printing in logistics will give companies more flexibility.
3D printing offers a broad array of advantages to businesses across almost every industry. The technology provides novel opportunities to enable easier prototyping. While it has been around for several years, it gives companies a lot of flexibility and allows them to work with real materials. Logistics is one of the industries that has realized the potential of this tech in its processes. As the sector in relentless search of new alternatives to improve processes and make them more efficient, 3D printing is expected to have a substantial impact on it, especially the design of supply chains.
Also known as additive manufacturing, 3D printing is relatively similar to those of conventional inkjet printing. It gives manufacturers unparalleled autonomy to tailor offerings to clients’ specific requirements and elevate the customer experience.
3D Printing Implications in the Logistics Industry
Traditional manufacturing of goods such as mechanical parts, accessories, consumer durable products and more is very time-consuming and expensive. In this process, items can be printed for review by the designer or engineers, and then made revisions printed equally as easily. But with 3D printing, all these differentials will be removed and every item produced will be an original or perfect copy. By eliminating the assembly phase using this technology, manufacturing companies can see huge savings in terms of labor costs, while potentially removal of storage, handling and distribution costs involved in bringing together the pertinent components.
Additive manufacturing can assist companies in improving the materials’ productivity by removing waste that accrues in traditional manufacturing. In consequence, it will expedite the development of a circular economy with a substantially smaller environmental footprint. It will also radically change the logistics and supply chain world, significantly minimizing delivery and commercialization times, and satisfying customer demand in a positive way.
Crucial Ways that 3D Printing Can Revolutionize Logistics
The capabilities of 3D printing are evolving rapidly as this tech can create larger components, with greater precision and achieve finer resolution at higher speeds and lower costs. It can be viable for mass customization and decentralized production. Industry experts believe that this technology fosters local and regional production and the next coming years will see the technology’s existence close to sales markets. A sustainable alternative for application in various niche markets, additive manufacturing enables companies outsourcing their production to other countries, to nearshore their production to high-wage countries.
Environmental Impact of 3D Printing
Undoubtedly, the use of materials using additive manufacturing will have a crucial impact on the environment, especially the reduction of CO2 emissions. For instance, manufacturers in the aerospace industry are capitalizing on 3D printing technology to build parts with up to 70 percent lesser in weight than conventionally manufactured parts. This essentially lessens weight and fuel consumption, reducing CO2 emissions.
One another environmental impact of 3D printing is the ability to print items from anywhere. Hence, this could minimize the need to transport items that lower the emissions associated with that transportation.
Credited to its lighter weight product creation, up to 50 percent lighter than the standard method, the 3D printing market is surging at a rapid pace. According to the report, the global market of 3D printing is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 23.2 percent from US$9.9 billion in 2018 to US$34.8 billion in 2024.