backtrax
12 years ago
Yes, there will definately be some displacement.
Whether it will occur disruptively fast, or gradually will depend on public acceptance/product-perfomance.
I personally know of an metalurgy-instrument manufactor that is waffling between suppliers of ceramic components.
With an "in-house" printer, these items could be made at their own facility, any "sizing" could be customized.
As it is for them now, they order from China...one-in-five of the parts fit correctly. Order the USA parts five-of-six fit, but the parts are 75% more expensive. (Still a savings with the USA parts, less labor trying to get shoddy, inaccurate parts to fit.)
backtrax
12 years ago
A small company in NY, is offering items made Via 3D printing available to the general-public. They provide a data-base of already-created items, or you can create your own designs.This is "On-Topic", only as an example of the things that are now 3D-printed, Not to suggest a connection with Dassault systemes, although it might be possible some of the software used may have been developed by Dassault.
Shapeways,
http://www.shapeways.com/about/