Although born in the mid-1980s, 3D printing has seen tremendous development in 2011, achieving a 29.4% growth in a year, far ahead of the 26.4% collective historical growth of the industry at that time.

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3D printing emerged from stereolithography, fused deposition modeling, and laminated modeling. Various other technologies contributed to its rise and democratization in the 1990s, freeing it from the craft manufacturing fetters by which it was confined. Such democratization inevitably alleviated tooling costs and enabled individuals to make parts at sites of production located in domestic communities globally (Richardson & Haylock, 2012).

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With the endless manufacturing possibilities unlocked by this relatively new technology, the automotive industry—once known to carry out operations single-handedly via major plants across the world—is bound to shift towards a multi-source procurement method. Below is an overview of the key players’ roles, and the industry’s current state. The Bigger Picture Current […]

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