The 3D Printing 'Revolution': An Imminent Reality or a Misunderstood Fantasy?
Yair Friedman, Shahar Cohen
Organization:
3D printing industry, Stratasys, 3D Systems
Industry:
High-Tech including Software &Hardware, Manufacturing
Areas:
Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Strategic Management, Technology
Description:
3D printing (a.k.a. additive manufacturing), is a technology that transforms digital 3D models into solid objects by constructing them up in layers. This technology has evolved and was hailed as a great promise that may revolutionize manufacturing (and consumption) by local, on-demand production of final products or parts. However, despite optimistic expectations and the impressive market growth, this technological revolution did not, so far, materialize, and this case study aims to investigate the dissonance in the promising phenomenon of 3D printing.