Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
business model is based on selling large volumes of a commodity product that
earns razor-thin margins. However, if a company's business model is based
on selling small numbers of unique, constantly changing or custom-made
high margin products, 3D printed production (like the platypus) represents
an evolutionary leap forward.
3D printing and design technologies make design and manufacturing more
nimble. Small companies have access to powerful tools that were once available
only to global corporations. Resourceful businesses, armed with a 3D printer
and design software, can provide skilled services of a caliber that were once the
exclusive domain of corporate in-house design and engineering departments.
While doing research for this topic, we learned that 3D printing is taking
root in former manufacturing regions, in the economically decaying rust belt
of upstate New York and parts of the Midwest. In these businesses, in many
cases, employees are alumni of now defunct local manufacturing plants. When
their jobs dried up under the dual assault of outsourced production and fac-
tory automation, laid off employees faced a dificult decision: should they
move away to where the jobs are, or should they ind a way to stay put and
somehow make it work?
In the past, no small business could have afforded to buy an industrial-scale
3D printer and pay for enough computing power to run industrial design soft-
ware. That's changing. One small business we visited was founded by a man
whose career spanned the glory days of manufacturing in the western world.
We'll call him “Mike” (not his real name since his family preferred that their
small business not be identiied). Mike's business provides design engineering,
prototyping and 3D printing services to regional companies.
We arranged a visit with Mike to learn more. Driving through the Rust
Belt was a sobering experience. On the way to visit Mike's company, when we
turned off the interstate highway, our cell phone service disappeared. Local
people had moved away, leaving behind half-empty towns and cities stagger-
ing under a shrinking tax base.
Outside the car window, the picturesque rural landscape had rolling hills,
shabby red barns and grazing black and white dairy cows. The two-lane road peri-
odically cut through struggling small towns with disappearing populations. “What
do people who live here do to make a living?” was a question that came to mind.
After a few hours of driving we pulled into the driveway of a well-tended
home, Mike's company's headquarters. Mike met us at the door and ushered
us into his basement workshop and design studio. Part machine shop and part
ofice, the headquarters of this small business looked nothing like the noisy,
