Globalized Trade Being Destroyed by Robotics and 3-D Printing

Breitbart ^ | June 8,2016 | by CHRISS W. STREET

[Hojczyk]

Additive manufacturing, commonly known as “3-D Printing,” is further degrading the cost savings from globalization. Traditional “batch” manufacturing practices require a series of separate molds and multiple steps to achieve economies of scale cost reductions.

But 3-D printers can produce multiple designs and perform multiple steps on the same machine. Consequently, batch manufacturing can have “diseconomies of scale” costs. Manufacturers moving to 3-D printing threatens to reverse many of globalization’s cost advantages from supply chain specialization and standardization, encouraging more parts to be made in fewer locations.

Manufacturing plastic and composite parts with 3-D printers is already competitive for a growing number of products. But 3-D printing of metal parts is still generally less reliable and more expensive than globalized parts making. But in a decade, 3-D Printing will be cost advantageous.

This new industrial revolution will not eliminate all the benefits of cheap labor, but it will shrink the number of countries that can industrialize, diversify and grow their economies. This will make trade more regionalized as production migrates back toward consumer countries.

Stratfor suggests that trade blocs such as NAFTA could become virtually self-sufficient over the next couple decades. Regionalization of trade has clear benefits for the United States as a highly-educated and high-wage nation and Mexico as a less-educated and lower-wage nation.

But poor nations in East and Central Africa, as well as parts of Southeast Asia, that thought globalization would allow their cheaper labor to eventually replace China as the world’s next manufacturing bases, could face continued

[reed13k]

In my mind I see my garage in 15 years requiring three things: 1) a 3d scanner to capture an existing part(s), 2) a computer to either store, modify, or create information on parts, and 3) a 3d printer with multiple nozzles depending on the medium desired.

Need something from the hardware store or a repair part? pull up the file and print it out. Don’t have an exemplar to scan? Order the file and print it out or create your own.

Everything else would be for yard work or hobbies.

[itsahoot]

and we’ll all be on welfare.

Only if you are on the approved list.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

Without going into any specifics; this is a very interesting article, with some good analysis, and thoughts to ponder.

There can be no question that 3D printing and robotics are disruptive technologies. Where that will take us — who knows? It’s like someone in 1816 writing about changes the Industrial Revolution will bring. My answer would be: more than we can imagine right now.