I’ve been thinking quite a bit about corporate treasury lately and the supply chain, and wondered what would happen if and when 3D printing really took off. By way of example, you can now 3D print your own car or house if you want, and that means that the whole supply chain collapses, as does the value of the corporation that manufactures goods. Will there even be manufacturers in ten years? What if nothing needed manufacturing? What if all you needed were blueprints electronically that, with just the right ingredients, you can print and assemble at home for a fraction of the price? Is this the future of manufacturing?
I pose these questions as it really would destroy many traditional industries and, as those industries are wiped out, new ones arise. The new business of sourcing and providing 3D printer ingredients replaces the old world manufacturing. The pickup and collect your pre-assembled product becomes the new distributor of goods, rather than someone having to print and assemble at home. You find whole new supply chains arising as entrepreneurial youths create visionary products and sell the concepts for print-at-home enthusiasts. A new car giant could arise from just a blueprint without ever having to make a car physically themselves.
It seems like a wacky idea, and yet I could see it happening. As I spend each day seeing more and more headlines of 3D printing products that, just a few years ago would have been madness, I start to wonder what the world of manufacturing, supply chain and financing will look like. Therefore, just in the spirit of sharing, here are a few products you can 3D print that you might not have thought about before.
The 3D printed jewellery range
The 3D printed underwear range
The 3D printed gun (and bullet)
Oh, and did I mention 4D printing , where things assemble themselves?
Chris M Skinner
Chris Skinner is best known as an independent commentator on the financial markets through his blog, TheFinanser.com, as author of the bestselling book Digital Bank, and Chair of the European networking forum the Financial Services Club. He has been voted one of the most influential people in banking by The Financial Brand (as well as one of the best blogs), a FinTech Titan (Next Bank), one of the Fintech Leaders you need to follow (City AM, Deluxe and Jax Finance), as well as one of the Top 40 most influential people in financial technology by the Wall Street Journal's Financial News. To learn more click here...
