3D Printing: Downstream Production Transforming the Supply Chain

Abstract

This Perspective explores the potential for 3D printing capabilities to transform supply chains by enabling downstream production. 3D printing, as we define it in this research, is the capability to produce a custom object in near real time with the ease of pressing a button. In doing so, we depart from the prevalent engineering and hobby literatures focus on 3D printing as solely consisting of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2017
Accession Number
AD1053207

Entities

People

  • Geoffrey Torrington
  • Jakub P. Hlvka
  • Simon Vronneau

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Biomedical
  • Cyber
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Additive Manufacturing
  • Assembly
  • Computer-Aided Design
  • Fabrication
  • Intellectual Property
  • Lasers
  • Lithography
  • Manufacturing
  • Manufacturing Engineering
  • Materials
  • Materials Science
  • National Security
  • Selective Laser Sintering
  • Subtractive Fabrication
  • Supply Chain
  • United States
  • X-Ray Computed Tomography

Readers

  • Manufacturing Engineering.
  • Systems Analysis and Design