TYPICAL OF THE MIDDLE-AGED NERDY GUY THAT I AM, I HAVE
always enjoyed science fiction. Often, while watching Star Trek, I marveled as Captain Picard would order some interesting product—say, a
cup of Earl Grey tea—from the replicator machine. Somehow, some way,
this futuristic device would pull together molecules of various elements
to create a perfect cup of tea—always at the right temperature. What a
great idea, though rather far-fetched considering current technology.
Yet when you consider advancements in 3-D printing, is it much different from this concept? Of course, it is not nearly as refined, but today’s
printing technology seems to be moving in that direction.
For example, engineers at the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology (MIT) just announced that they have
developed a new desktop 3-D printer that operates up
to 10 times faster than existing commercial models.
In announcing this development, MIT said that while
most common printers require an hour just to fabricate a few Lego-sized blocks, the new machine can do
it in minutes. Key to this technology is a new compact
printhead that feeds polymer material through a nozzle at high force.
It is not hard to see how advancements in 3-D printing could eventually change distribution center operations. Already, many DCs perform various kinds of
light manufacturing. For example, at Dell distribution
centers, computers are assembled with customer-spe-cific components and software before being shipped to end users.
There are already companies that utilize 3-D printers to create simple
parts. This technology can be especially useful for very slow-moving
products, enabling companies to greatly reduce the amount of inventory
they keep on hand.
Beyond current capabilities, it is not hard to imagine a future where
DCs feature high-speed knitting machines to weave sweaters to customer
specs or equipment that prints shoes to the exact measurements of the
end user’s feet.
Considering the amount of time required to produce and transport
products from overseas plants, the use of 3-D printers could reduce lead-times to minutes from weeks and enable companies to create customized
goods that are ready for delivery the same day.
It will be fun to watch to see if what was once science fiction becomes
technological reality. Now, if we could only figure out how Scottie
beamed products from point A to point B, we might be able to solve that
last-mile delivery problem as well.
bigpicture
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