Report highlights potential effects of 3-D printing on metals supply chain

According to a report commissioned by the Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI), Rolling Meadows, Ill., 3-D printing and additive manufacturing (AM) have the potential to disrupt parts of the metals supply chain in the coming decades.

AM today is not some far-off manufacturing process that companies can afford to ignore. What was an estimated $3 billion or so industry in 2013 became a more than $4 billion industry in 2014, according to research cited in the report. Most conservative projections show a CAGR for the global AM industry from 18 to 34 percent to 2020, and annual revenue from $7 billion to more than $23 billion by that year.

“Manufacturing as we know it is changing,” said M. Robert Weidner, III, MSCI president and CEO. “Product customization and value-add as a result of additive manufacturing could be a game changer — it could bring huge challenges for the metals industry as well as potential opportunities.”

According to the report, AM changes the fundamental nature of product design. The design and manufacturing effort can be directed for optimal efficiency, cost, and functionality for a metal part. For some companies, AM might reduce assembly steps or eliminate tooling, leading to significant cost savings.

Stratasys, a large manufacturer of 3-D printing and AM equipment, surveyed 700 product designers, engineers, and business executives, and 84 percent of respondents ranked metal as the top item in the list of materials they’d like to see addressed further by AM.

Another challenge—and opportunity—is the unpredictability of 3-D printing powder quality. Developing high-grade metal printing powders and establishing quality controls is a rapidly growing field with a great deal of room for innovation.

MSCI members can view the full report online at www.msci.org.