Report: 3D Printing Makes Headway Into Heart Of U.S. Manufacturing
http://www.manufacturing.net/news/2014/06/report-3d-printing-makes-headway-into-heart-of-us-manufacturing?et_cid=3989907&et_rid=54679148&location=top
3D printing (3DP), also known as additive manufacturing, is showing signs of triggering transformations in U.S. industrial manufacturing, from product design and production to restructured supply chains, according to a report released today by PwC US in conjunction with The Manufacturing Institute.
The report, 3-D printing and the new shape of industrial manufacturing, which includes findings from a survey of over 100 industrial manufacturers, revealed that two-thirds (67 percent) of manufacturers surveyed are currently implementing 3DP either by experimenting with the technology or by already using it for prototypes or final products. One in four respondents said they plan to adopt 3DP in some way in the future.
Applying 3DP for rapid prototyping is nothing new for many manufacturers as it enables them and their suppliers to sidestep the often laborious and costly traditional processes, said Bob McCutcheon, PwCs U.S. industrial products leader. However, were starting to see signs that the technology is on the cusp of becoming mainstream, and companies need to understand the disruptions and the opportunities that it could create. There are core questions all manufacturers ought to be asking themselves if theyre looking to implement a 3DP strategy that could potentially expand their business and makes them more competitive in the marketplace.