Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
4
Tomorrow's
economy
of printable
products
One of the most commonly asked questions about 3D printing is whether
this new technology will create or destroy jobs. Usually I'm asked this
by policymakers, local politicians and journalists. After a recent talk on the
future of 3D printing at a middle school, I was a little startled when a student
raised his hand and asked me, “Will 3D printing help make jobs?”
I gamely explained to the student that there's not a simple answer to this
question. If the past is any indication, 3D printing, like other disruptive tech-
nologies, will re-shape the occupational landscape in new and unpredictable
ways. I asked his classmates whether they had ever heard of a travel agent.
A few had. I described how the Internet made travel agents obsolete, but in
return, opened up a new market for travel-related services. Similarly, 3D print-
ing technologies will enable new business models while eradicating others.
Some jobs will disappear while entirely new professions will emerge.
Fortunately, the student seemed satisied with my answer, but his question
made me wonder what his generation will witness in their lifetimes. Today 3D
printing is already becoming a mainstream tool in industries such as aerospace
engineering where product lines involve small batches of complex parts. In the
future 3D printing will disrupt the economy in more profound ways. Global
supply chains will be replaced by agile and independent small manufacturers
able to respond quickly to luctuating inventories and market demands. Less
directly, perhaps the biggest contribution of 3D printing technologies to the
economy will be to reduce the risk and friction associated with trying out
new business models.
