3D printing has several applications in agriculture including producing agricultural machinery and spare parts, customized tools for farms, and irrigation systems. Farmers can approach 3D printing by making their own items (MAKE model), buying a 3D printer and printed goods (BUY model), or collaborating with manufacturers and service providers to co-create solutions for local farms (Collaborative Manufacturing Model). The document provides a simple overview of how 3D printing can help solve problems in agriculture through customized production and local collaboration.

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3D PRINTING!
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a simple OVERVIEW!
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(1) APPLICATIONS IN AGRICULTURE!
COLLABORATIVE MANUFACTURING
Milan, November 13TH 2015

2. 3D Printing Technology Map!
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solvents

3. How 3D Printing can be used in Agriculture!
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• In producing agricultural machinery and spare parts.
• In producing working tools and customized elements for building farms.
• In producing irrigation systems, pottery and other customized objects for agriculture.

4. How farmers can approach 3D printing solutions!
• MAKE model: farmers make their machinery and spare parts
using 3D printing technologies (and buying components for
building 3D printers and materials for printing).
• To apply this model, farmers must have an high level of
knowledge (ICT, engineering, chemistry)... BUT there are
profit and non profit organizations that provide information,
hardware and software kits and 3Dmodels, and consultants’
support in 3DP implementation in Agriculture.
Examples:
– Open Source Ecology
– 3Dponic
4!

5. • BUY model:
– Farmers can buy a 3Dprinter and make tools, accessories for his farm:
– Farmers can design his tools/accessories and buy the 3D printed objects from
a 3DP Service provider:
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How farmers can approach 3D printing solutions!

6. • Collaborative Manufacturing Model:
– manufacturers, 3DP services and farmers organize a peer to peer
collaboration: they create a single local eco-system to co-make a
3Dprinting solution for a specific group of local entrepreneurs.
6!
How farmers can approach 3D printing solutions!
3d printer
manufacturers
farmers and
ranchers
3d printer
services
providers
machinery
designers
bio-materials
manufactures
systems
integrators
agriculture

7. 7!
Conclusion!
• This simple overview on 3DPrinting applied to
Agriculture has the aim to point out the elements
we can explore, analyze and implement to solve
problems in Agriculture applying this technology.
• If you want to learn more about 3DPrinting,
Collaborative Manufacturing and Open Cultural
Systems in Business, you can join us on:
Collaborative Business Network on Google+