Agile Manufacturing and Commerce. The Impact of 3D Printing on Markets and Business Processes
Agile Manufacturing and Commerce. The Impact of 3D Printing on Markets and Business Processes

Summary/Abstract: Additive manufacturing like 3D printing is frequently used to create unique three-dimensional objects of any shape and geometry. Technologies like 3D printing significantly increase the flexibility of running a business especially in the early phases of new product development and testing, but also democratize the production market. 3D printing uses hardware controlled by computer applications to create single, quite complex 3D objects at relatively low cost. Creating these objects with well-known technologies such as casting can be in many cases economically unmanageable. 3D printing technology has many areas of usage. It can be used in architecture, art, commerce, education, engineering, manufacturing, medicine and military. It can also be a very useful tool in marketing and commerce e.g. market research, product design and product development and shipment. Therefore 3D printing can meet new needs of customers and generate incomes for businesses. The aim of the article is to present recent trends in 3D printing and the possibilities of its usage. The paper contains characteristics of technology, recently developed 3D printing projects, advantages and disadvantages of using 3D printing technology. The authors analyze 1259 3D printing-related projects found on the world’s most popular crowdfunding platform – Kickstarter and presents the impact of 3D printing technology on markets and business processes.

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