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Social Impacts of 3D Printing

3D Printing Showcase : University of Melbourne : 7 November 2013. Social Impacts of 3D Printing. Marcus Wigan Adjunct Professor, Faculty of ICT, Swinburne University of Technology. www.mwigan.com. 3D Printing: Why is it a social issue?. • User driven takeup

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Social Impacts of 3D Printing

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  1. 3D Printing Showcase : University of Melbourne : 7 November 2013 Social Impacts of 3D Printing Marcus Wigan Adjunct Professor, Faculty of ICT, Swinburne University of Technology www.mwigan.com

  2. 3D Printing: Why is it a social issue? • • User driven takeup • • RepRap*, Maker and Object Hacking Communities • • Open Source Hardware • • Open Source Software • • Open Source Customisable Objects • All these are user driven, user supported and have thriving global social communities already • • Industry is also seeing a movement to economic short run mass customised distributed manufacturing • • Intangibles are already 80% of value of major firms... • * RepRap: 3D printers capable of printing the parts to replicate themselves

  3. Education is the first run killer app.. • • Schools are a prime target.. Engineering manpower! • • The integration of software (Mathematica, Google Sketchup, MatLab etc ) stimulated at an early stage • • Mechatronics framed as fun • • Many similarities to the 1980 era of microcomputers • - Which were also driven by cross disciplinary social networks • • Jewellery and Food are already early adopters • • Art follows closely behind – Objects ‘impossible’ to make can be visualised and then created..

  4. r Fashion Art ; the Impossible Realized ; or your own item scanned... the Impossible Realized Fashion Art or your own item scanned...

  5. Context • • Near universal computer access at all ages • • Cost effectiveness is already here at a household level • • Dematerialisation trends are still accellerating • • Global communications are now established expectation • • Disintermediation is a key disruptive aspect • - affecting retail, distribution, delivery, spares.. • - and branding

  6. User driven Retail Trade Disruption • • The ‘Aussie Tax’ is now widely resented • • Global communications demand global simultaneity of access • • Disruption of music, software, media, differential geopricing models now well advanced on the net • • Open Source software now widely trusted and competitive – and a global, responsive community • • Open Objects are the next in line.. • • Mass customisation is increasingly possible – and will be demanded • • Business models that rely on expensive and limited stock spares are already under threat

  7. The ThingiVerse Open Object Repository Thingiverse is a universe of things. Download our files and build them with your laser cutter, 3D printer, or CNC.

  8. Business models dependent on IP constraints are the next to come under social pressure • • 3D scanning now affordable for average consumers • • 3D printers already available starting at $200-500 • • Object modification not covered by current IP controls • • The questionable behaviour of the entertainment industries have severely degraded the credibility of IP • • High priced stocks of small plastic items often requiring a complete assembly to be bought- at risk • • Small current 3D printers are already showing excellent rates of return in domestic environments • B.T. Wittbrodta, A.G. Glovera, J. Lauretoa, G.C. Anzaloneb, D. Oppligerc, J.L. Irwind, J.M. Pearce (2013) Life-cycle economic analysis of distributed manufacturing with open-source 3-D printers, Mechatronics Volume 23, Issue 6, September Pages 713–726

  9. “What they found was a stark contrast between buying complete goods and making them at home: It would cost a consumer from $312 to $1944 to purchase the 20 items online compared to $18 to print them over the course of a weekend”

  10. Social Aspects • • The global communities are already developed • - Thingiverse : a key first mover for Object access • • Home use is already moving into schools • - many school kids have already built RepRaps • • The software barriers are falling fast • • A shift to making consumer items at home is co ming

  11. Broader Social Issues • • The logistics aspects of manufacture and distribution • - every home and business is now a travel free potential delivery point for physical objects • • Sustainability aspects of both manufacture, assembly, distribution and delivery should all place a solid momentum behind government interest in even the early stages of 3D printing takeup • • The shift to a substantial fraction of manufacturing to utilise 3D printing (50% of GEs production within 7 years) emphasises the types of jobs that will grow • • Social impacts will be increasingly felt in employment, distribution and retail.

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