Star Trek has replicators. The magic boxes that deliver food and drink "Tea. Earl Grey Hot" says Captain Picard, and it appears. Pretty cool. But what about parts for your car, or uniquely customized products, intricately shaped solids impossible to machine, musical instruments even? Oh yes, and how about reducing waste by 1000%? 3D printing is delivering this and more for the price of a laser printer back in the mid 80's.
Additive manufacturing, so called because it builds a 3D model by layers of printed Resin, plastic or metal powders that are dried or sintered by laser into a solid with sub millimetre tolerance. Desktop units are for sale today; larger units are envisioned, like for the aircraft industry where machining and cost constraints can be hurdled into achieving better wing shapes.
Of course this is capital L lean. Minimum waste in delivering the customer what he wants when and where he wants it. How will this game changer affect your business? Better start thinking about that, because the "when" is starting now.
