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Could this be the factory of the future, a small quiet room full of 3D printers?
For over a century now, most of the world's industrialized nations have been
home to two distinct commercial worlds, which like parallel lines run side
by side but never meet: mass production and artisan production. Companies
seeking new market opportunities should look beyond products and services
that fall neatly on one parallel line or another. Opportunity lies in products
or services that in the past, because of the limitations of mass and artisan
production, have been impractical or impossible to offer at a proit. In other
words, opportunity lies in business models where proits are not reliant on
economies of scale.
Imagine, for example, if my car mechanic (a great skeptic of the existence
of car repair that is good, fast, and cheap) decided to venture into a new line
of business: 3D printing car tires. This would be a bold business strategy for
him, given that car tires are a classic, mass-produced commodity product. In
a corner of the greasy hanger where he ixes cars, he would install a 3D printer
that could create precise shapes in high-grade, durable tire rubber.
Out of the gate, let's suppose his irst business model would be to make and
sell 3D printed tires identical to the brand name tires sitting in his inventory.
To anyone familiar with 3D printing, this wouldn't sound wise. But let's assume
that my tenacious car mechanic charged forward with his plan anyway.
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