Additive Manufacturing: The Most Promising Technology to Alter the Supply Chain and Logistics

Abstract

To compete in a global economy, manufacturers are forced to move towards low volume production of innovative and customized products with high added value. Three-dimensional printing, also known as additive manufacturing (AM) or rapid prototyping enables and facilitates production of moderate to mass quantities of products that can be individually customized. The technology is truly innovative with endless product design possibilities and potential to enhance global supply chain capabilities. The technology improves efficiencies of the entire supply chain, from the cost of distribution to assembly and carry, all the way to the component itself. This article reviews evolution of new supply chain models, examines some of the potential benefits of AM in challenging traditional manufacturing constraints, explores its impact on the traditional and global supply chain and logistics, and investigates its transformative potential and its impact on various industry segments.