ICT and Big Data

From Food to Human Tissue, How 3D Printing Is Changing the U.S. Manufacturing Game

As 3D printers are being used to make everything from pottery to human tissue, the domestic manufacturing industry is evolving into something new and robust. As manufacturing begins to step into a growth phase, we examine the brands Stratasys and Organovo and take a closer look at what the introduction of their products means to the marketplace.There is no shortage of areas that were crippled by the financial crisis, and United States manufacturing ranks high on that list. Production jobs were already fleeing overseas in favor of inexpensive labor in the mid-2000s, and the combination of the domestic consumer recession and a burst of Chinese market dominance only amplified the situation.

By Charlton Reynders | Published 11 years ago | About a 3 minute read

There is no shortage of areas that were crippled by the financial crisis, and United States manufacturing ranks high on that list. Production jobs were already fleeing overseas in favor of inexpensive labor in the mid-2000s, and the combination of the domestic consumer recession and a burst of Chinese market dominance only amplified the situation.

Signs indicate, however, that U.S. manufacturing is making a comeback. Cost advantages of outsourcing production are becoming less significant, and despite (or perhaps because of) the difficult economic climate, the U.S. is in a position to compete for jobs.

New manufacturing plants are already cropping up across the country; however, it will not be a wholesale return to the 1990s. Some jobs will remain overseas, some will migrate to other low-cost markets, and still others will be replaced by new technologies. While a potential negative for the employment numbers, domestic innovation will provide a tremendous boost for more responsible companies and the U.S. economy in general.

For example, 3D printing was once a quaint idea that may soon have the ability to transform entire industries. That quaint idea is now a reality, with companies such as Stratasys designing and manufacturing 3D printers that are used primarily for prototyping. Eliminating a long turnaround time for prototypes creates a reduced cycle through which finalized products can come to market faster. Cutting out the machining process has the potential to revolutionize the manufacturing industry as a whole.

3D printing already reduces processing time from six weeks to six hours. As analysts report, “early adopters have been automotive and aerospace and consumer products, the types of products that [consumers] buy when we go to a store … Now we're seeing companies apply these devices to parts that go into actual products that we buy, particularly in aerospace, medical — implants, for example — and dental.”

The possibilities go beyond typical manufacturing; engineers from Cornell University have produced edible food directly from the printer. While seemingly far-fetched, food printing is cost effective, efficient and could in the near term vastly reduce production lines and wasted material in food processing and packaging. In the medical field, companies such as Organovo are utilizing bioprinting technology to generate functional human tissues. What may have seemed like an idea from a mad scientist’s lab in the past is now a reality, as Organovo and like-minded brands tap into growing 3D printing potential in the medical field.

It is our belief that brands such as Stratasys and Organovo are trailblazers in the 3D printing space; they may well alter the manufacturing industry forever. Their technologies have created a leap that is environmentally conscious and scientifically progressive. We look forward to staying aware of their growth and launch of further innovations in the future, and to hearing your thoughts.