3D Printing - To print or not to print? Aspects to consider before adoption - A supply chain perspective

3D printing is believed by many to be the next industrial revolution. The technology is already deployed in production. However, supply chain literature is still in its infancy regarding this topic, despite 3D printings radical impact on supply chains. A framework has been developed to assess various aspects that need to be considered when deploying such technology as part of the production process. Literature has been drawn from cross-discipline (e.g. social sciences, engineering, and business). The challenge for businesses will be whether to incur the cost impact today or the opportunity cost of tomorrow if 3D printing is not adopted.