Role of 3D Printing in Digital Supply Chain

The advent of 3D printing technology has truly transformed the whole world. Owing to the advantages which the technology offers, today it is widely adopted and is used in various sectors such as manufacturing, aerospace, robotics, medical industry and the list just keeps going on. The entire world was taken by storm when scientists unveiled an artificial 3D printed heart which could be implanted in human beings, though at present it is not fully functional however such a discovery creates optimism amongst the people regarding the future of the technology. Medical industry is not the sole area where this technology is surprising people, today small sized yachts are created using 3D printing, and even SpaceX is manufacturing parts of its starship using 3D printing. To some things up 3D printing is a disruptive technology. The use of 3D printing in Logistics and Supply Chain Management is a true game changer that has the potential to change the face of the entire supply chain. There are many 3D printing solutions in the market many of which are being used in Logistics and Supply Chain; however each one of the methods is having its own benefits and limitations. In this paper some of the commonly used 3D printing methods will be explored along with its use case in Logistics and Supply Chain industry.