The document discusses the potential of 3D printing and provides an overview of its current state. It describes 3D printing as a process that builds physical objects from digital models in successive thin layers without the need for tools. The document outlines several benefits of 3D printing such as high levels of customization, reduced transportation needs, and less waste. It also discusses trends like its applications in various industries, declining costs and improving quality, and emerging techniques like 4D printing. However, the document notes some challenges like surface finish and speed that still need improvement.

1. The Potential of 3D printing
an overview of the current state of rapid prototyping
the manufacturing revolution
July 2014
(updated September 2014)
Lija Groenwoud van Vliet

2. Up to $550M per year by 2025
Source: McKinsey Global Institute report

3. Definition
3D printing
• a process of making a physical object from a three-dimensional (3D) digital
model;
• building products through successive thin layering of a material without the
intervention of cutting, drilling,…;
• type of industrial robot using a 3-D computer-aided design (CAD) program to
create a digital model.
Tags: 3D printing, rapid prototyping, additive manufacturing (AM) , cloud, manufacturing
revolution, advanced materials, replication efforts, laser

4. Work in progress
Youtube 3D printing time-lapse

5. The benefits
Source: Anubis3D

6. 2D printing versus 3D printing
Source: 3D printing

7. 3D developments through time
Source: Which-50 Source: Whiteclouds

8. How does it works?
Source: UXTrendspotting

9. 3D printing is a tool and part of a process
One of the
seven printer
technologies

10. Production characteristics (1): differentiators
Materials:
Plastic
Glass
Metal (titanium)
Food (chocolate
Tissue (stem cell)
Earthenware (ceramics)
Paper / wood
Biocompatible materials
Sand
Differentiators:
 Form: solid versus flexible
 Price
 Detail level
 Strength
 Smoothness
 Color
Elasto Plastic

11. Production characteristics (2) : Methods
SLS, DMLS, FDM, SLA, LOM, Ink-Jet-Style
Source: 24x7mag
Mostly used in consumer market

12. Differences
among 3D printing
techniques;
various ranges
and material
application

13. Production characteristics (3): new techniques

14. Characteristics
Implications
 Produce molds, enable rapid modeling and
prototyping (tooling)
 Digitally manufacture (parts of) final products,
meaning digital product storage (digital
warehouse)
 High level of customization leading to 35%-
60% cost savings (McKinsey Global Institute
report)
 Enhancing local production leading to less
transport and packaging
 Less material waste due to fabrication
process and fewer unsold products due to
manufacture upon request.
 Possible to recycle or increase life span of
products by replacing malfunctioning parts
 Reducing time in product development
Characteristics
 Making three-dimensional solid objects from a
digital model
 Possibility to manufacture (small) fully
functional tools (such as batteries, transistors,
and LEDs
 Precision and resolution
 Manufacturing tool
 3 axles (x,y,z)
 Making use of software (.stl)
Making it especially interesting for industries with:
 high labor-cost industry (such as time-consuming
assembly and secondary machining processes)
 complex tooling requirements
 relatively low volumes (or niche market)
 high obsolescence or scrap rates
When selecting a printer, look at:
1. Flexibility & simplicity (open source / ready-to-
print)
2. Type of material (PLA / ABS) (effect on
temperature)
3. Software of the printer
4. Precision, detail, resolution and calibration
5. Speed and ´noice´ level

15. 3D Printing impact on core costs of products & services
• Raw material prize
• Quality
• Customization
Creation
• Social networks
• Blogging
• Reviews
 easy access to near-perfect market information
Information
• Environments optimized for collaboration
• Design
• “Cost of Combine”
Experiment

16. Types of Use & Applications
1. Test of ideas and concept
Prototyping in research and development (Prototypes / Models difficult)
2. Internal manufacturing
Manufacturing of parts/ office tools. Custom tooling: manufacture fully functional tools (sensors for monitoring/
filters, etc)
3. External Manufacturing
Manufacturing of production goods for sale to consumers and manufacturing of supplies to be used by customers
4. Mass customization
Print customized pieces at industrial quantities and rates. Hence, products can be redesigned for both one-off and
mass customization.
5. Use of multifunctional materials
Future new materials : self-reconfiguring, self-healing, programmable, multifunctional (conduting), changing shape
and behaviour over time (smart materials/ 4D printing)
6. Manufacture at point of use
Manufacturing will no longer be centralized. Any piece will be printable anywhere around.
7. Reinvent warehouse/ reduce inventory (from products to raw materials)
The promise of immediate ‘on-the-spot’ production signals the end of keeping large inventories in warehouses. It
facilitates supplementary or “insurance” capability.
8. Complex design
Complexity free production method due to zero cost of increased complexity. No molds and high degree of
structure flexibility. This will lead to a shift from restrictive design for manufacturing to manufacturing of the ideal
design.

17. Benefits

18. Things to improve & hurdles on the way
 Surface finish & resolution
 Speed of printing
 Costs of raw material
 Ink inefficiencies
 Machine range
 Potential risk from hackers and software bugs
 Misuse of technology (danger of self producing unwanted objects like
guns)
 Legal restrictions & ethics
 The cost of producing large volumes of some products can be high
using 3D printers
Image credit

19. Sectors where applied: what can be printed? Just anything
Toys
3D
Fashion
Automotive
Art
Military
Manufactu
Retail ring
Architect
Food
Medical
3D print Blood Vessels

20. Replacing current objects
Source: Leapfrog

21. Medical applications beyond imagination
Source: Gizmodo
Source: CSC

22. 3D printing of a house (with waste materials for >$5.000)
Source:Dialymail

23. Using waste material
Source: Dezeen

24. The Wide Range of Commercial Possibilities
Applications

25. Modeling
Source: Deltares

26. Looking back and forth
http://vimeo.com/12768578

27. Trends

28. Manufacturing
Source: 3D printing
Source: DHL
Implications of 3D material supply

29. Disruptive potential
From Gadgets & Design to Disrupting sectors
Source: 2020magzine
 having impact on manufacturing processes and jobs
 democratization of manufacturing customizable products

31. Expanding accesibility through hubs, crowdsourcing and
crowdfunding

32. Changing Street view
Image credit Image credit
Image credit

33. The DIY community & cloud enabled services & personalization
The first steps towards home based 3D printing

34. Market potential
Source: UXTrendspotting
Expected that most of the
revenue generated by the 3D
printing sector will come from
commercial users (Deloite)
Source: Grandview Research

35. Market Drivers for Growth of 3D potential
• Increased awareness of viability of 3D printing
technologies for prototyping and manufacturing
 implications for laboratory, product development and
manufacturing operations
• Decreasing costs of 3D printers and materials
• Improved quality
• Wider range of materials
• Use case examples as reference and inspiration point
• Supporting ecosystem

36. Source: 3D printing
Source: UXTrendspotting

37. Example Supporting Ecosystem
Gravity Movie; showing how to make design for 3D printing even easier

38. Examples Supporting Ecosystem
Hundreds of offerings on Kickstarter

39. Source: Forst&Sullivan

40. Source: CSC

41. Big Companies investing in 3D printing
Source: seekingalpha
For case examples, click
here

42. What are the Big Companies doing?
NASA: printing in space

43. The big players in the 3D market

44. Next step: 4D : responsive, transformable objects & self-assembling
programable objects
Claudia
Source: Smithsonian
Smart materials

45. 4D printing is the Future of design
Youtube movie

46. Barcelona Example: Natural Machines
Input:
-Chocolate
-Sugar
-Vanilla
- Dough
- Fruits
Promise to meet
dietary needs

47. Barcelona example: HP world centre for 3D printing
HP estimates that worldwide sales of 3D printers and software and related
services will grow almost to the $ 11 billion for 2021.
Source: 3dprintingevent

48. Background material (1)
Sources and interesting articles to read:
http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/business_technology/disruptive_technologies
http://www.marsdd.com/app/uploads/2014/04/MAR-CLT6965_3D-Printing_White_paper.pdf
http://www.deloitte.com/assets/Dcom-
Canada/Local%20Assets/Documents/Insights/Innovative_Thinking/2013/ca_en_insights_disruptive_manuf
acturing_102813.pdf
http://www.csc.com/innovation/insights/92142-the_future_of_3d_printing_services_and_manufacturing
http://www.24x7mag.com/2014/04/3d-printing-a-disruptive-technology/
http://www.economist.com/node/18114327?story_id=18114327
http://3dprinting.com/what-is-3d-printing/
http://venturebeat.com/tag/3d-printing/
http://www.slideshare.net/FrostandSullivan/the-rise-of-3d-printing
http://www.slideshare.net/UXTrendspotting/3-d-printing-26045823
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ehrlichfu/2013/10/29/our-future-with-3-d-printers-7-disrupted-industries/
http://www.techrepublic.com/article/10-industries-3d-printing-will-disrupt-or-decimate/
http://www.dezeen.com/?s=3d+printing
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/Objects-That-Change-Shape-On-Their-Own-180951449/?no-ist
http://www.hhglobal.com/blog/6-benefits-of-3d-printing
http://www.dhl.com/content/dam/downloads/g0/about_us/logistics_insights/DHL_Logistics-
TrendRadar_2014.pdf
http://www.idtechex.com/research/reports/3d-printing-2014-2025-technologies-markets-players-000352.asp
http://www.techrepublic.com/article/3d-printing-10-companies-using-it-in-ground-breaking-ways/
http://vimeo.com/57562941
http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/3d-printing-industry-analysis?
gclid=CJ6moo2npL8CFa7HtAodRSQAhg
http://gizmodo.com/tag/3-d-printing
http://www.dezeen.com/tag/3d-printing/

49. Background material (2)
Successful_business_models_for_3d_printing_preview (Berenschot)
http://dupress.com/articles/additive-manufacturing-3d-opportunity-in-aerospace/
http://www.newscientist.com/special/3D-printing
https://www.gartner.com/doc/2663915/strategic-technology-trends--d?docdisp=share
https://www.additively.com/en/learn-about/3d-printing-technologies
YouTube/ Vimeo movies:
4D printing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow5TgVTTUdY
3D printing time-lapse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gaC5BpXljU
3D printing in space: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7nrUojLePw#t=47
3D printing back and forward in time: http://vimeo.com/12768578
Gravity example: http://vimeo.com/89649904