TNO : The impact of 3-D printing on supply chain management

Abstract

It is said that 3-D printing, officially known as additive manufacturing, has the potential to become the biggest single disruptive phenomenon to impact global industry since mass production lines were introduced early in the twentieth century. McKinsey Global Institute named 3-D printing as one of the twelve disruptive technologies that will transform life, business and the global economy by 2025. With 3-D printing an idea can go directly from a design file to a product, skipping many traditional manufacturing steps. And manufacturing can take place anywhere in the world where the right printers are available. This might cause new businesses to emerge and well-established businesses to fail.