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Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, IEEE Engineering Management Review, 1(45), p. 98-104, 2017

DOI: 10.1109/emr.2017.7888808

Elsevier, Business Horizons, 2(58), p. 209-215, 2015

DOI: 10.1016/j.bushor.2014.11.005

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Disruptions, decisions, and destinations: Enter the age of 3-D printing and additive manufacturing

Journal article published in 2015 by Jan Kietzmann ORCID, Leyland Pitt, Pierre Berthon
This paper is available in a repository.
This paper is available in a repository.

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Abstract

Until recently, most manufacturing processes have been ‘subtractive’ in that matter is removed (e.g., scraped, dissolved, turned, machined) from a substance in order to produce the desired product. 3-D printing turns traditional manufacturing on its head in that it uses an ‘additive’ process. Similar to laser and inkjet printers, 3-D (three-dimensional) printers produce pieces by depositing, or adding, layers of material—plastic, polymer filaments, metals, and even foodstuffs—until the desired product is realized. This means that the creation and production of ‘one-offs’ is not only easy, it is also economically viable. 3-D printers are becoming ever more affordable, and it is not hard to envision them being as common in most homes in the near future as their two-dimensional counterparts are today. This article presents a 3-D printing primer for non-technical managers. It then considers the profound impact that 3-D printing will have on firms of all kinds as well as on individual consumers. In addition, it raises the substantial questions that 3-D printing will pose to policy makers from both intellectual property and ethical standpoints.