One of the Supply Chain Management (SCM) technologies is 3D printing.

One of the Supply Chain Management (SCM) technologies is 3D printing.

One of the Supply Chain Management (SCM) technologies is 3D printing. Would you agree that 3D printing is disruptive technology? Why or why not? Name and briefly describe another disruptive technology (you may use a \”historical,\” i.e., past, example) that, in your opinion, has had as significant an impact. Do NOT use examples from the textbook.

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3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is an alternative production technology that allows for a layer-by-layer creation of more durable, stronger, and lighter objects.

“You may have heard about the benefits of 3D printing – the freedom of designs, the lack of tools required, the just-in-time inventory, and so on. To the engineers of today, the list of advantages is endless – it’s a revolution for companies, across all industries,” explains Joe Hughes, tech expert at Writinity and Last Minute Writing.

With all of the benefits of 3D printing, you’d think it would be as commonplace as Wi-Fi in today’s world – but that’s actually not the case. Many companies are struggling to find ways to incorporate 3D technology printing into their product development and manufacturing operations – a bare 2% of the manufacturing market is made up of 3D printing, according to a 2014 report.

However, this is all set to change. The global 3D printing market is set to reach $21 billion by 2020, quadrupling in size. It’s useful then, to understand that despite the challenges faced by businesses wanting to use 3D printing, there are many benefits to 3D printing – the freedom to design what they want, easy prototyping, customization and streamlined logistics. The challenges presented by 3D printing should be understood by manufacturing leaders, in order to overcome them.