HP Innovation Journal Issue 11: Winter 2018 | Page 60

HP IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS TECHNOLOGY,
WITH A SUITE OF PRINTERS THAT OFFERS A
WIDE RANGE OF MANUFACTURING BENEFITS. 3D
PRINTERS IN GENERAL LOWER COSTS BECAUSE:
1. 3D printing is often faster than traditional
manufacturing methods.
2. The technology is more precise, so there is less waste
during the manufacturing process. This means the tech-
nology is more environmentally friendly than traditional
manufacturing, where 60-70 percent of material can end
up as scrap¹—some of which is wasted, while the rest
requires significant energy to melt back down for use.
3. Reduced reliance on special molds/tools allows for
mass customization with lower capital investment.
4. The ability to quickly make parts and products where
and when they are needed reduces both shipment and
inventory costs.
HP’s solutions are especially cost-effective—the Jet Fusion
printer offers impressive performance with a cost-per-part
that is lowest in the industry by a large margin.
The most recent revolution was first reported on in 2016 and
encompasses significant advancements in a wide range of
technologies, including quantum computing, IoT, AI, robot-
ics, and other automated/autonomous tools. However, most
of these technologies have existed for far longer. 3D printing
itself was first developed three decades ago and was initially
used primarily for rapidly prototyping in the aerospace, de-
fense and automotive industries. The limited application set
meant the market stayed small, but recent years have seen
an explosion in the number and range of applications. As
the technology has matured, the goal was to simultaneously
improve speed, precision and capacity. Increased access to
the printers and design software has also expanded the use of
3D printing from technical applications to more artistic and
artisanal arenas, allowing for mass customization rather than
just commoditization.
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HP Innovation Journal Issue 11
HP provides its customers with the tools to mass customize
products that are ideally suited to the end consumer. One
prominent example is HP’s FitStation technology that has
helped the NFL create cleats ideally suited to each of their
players, helping them perform better and preventing some
injuries. HP allows customers to create customized forms,
in addition to a wide range of colors, without switching ma-
terials, unlike many competitors’ products. The company has
also expanded into novel materials like metal, leading the way
to further disrupt traditional manufacturing.
Experts predict that 3D printing will have an impact on not
only upstream manufacturing, but also on downstream retail-
ers. Upstream manufacturers, especially in low-cost coun-
tries, will lose their low-cost advantage to a technology that
requires considerably less labor and shipping. However, local
upstream manufacturers can potentially recapture contracts
that had been moved offshore for cost reasons. Downstream
retailers face a similar mixed bag, since some retailers could
potentially create and sell items at a single brick-and-mortar
location, requiring fewer suppliers, less real estate, and less