Additive manufacturing revolution has started and can be beneficial due to its much greener, less-centralized, less resource-intensive way. However, 3D printing can be disadvantageous because it can affect foreign manufacturing, increase unemployment, and has manufacturing limitations.
3D printing has the potential to disrupt the world’s international supply chain. Rather than goods being shipped around the world, production will be based on a household level. Individuals could pay for the raw materials and the software files for designing the designated product, which could potentially be found on the web. For instance car parts are made from hundreds of factories around the world, but 3D printing could simplify this process by procuring these parts from local areas such as repair shop or assembly plant. This could eliminate the need for supply chain management. Also, We expect that the use of such techniques will contribute to significant reductions in product development cycle times, which is a good thing in deed, but can be very disadvantageous to the economy.
The world would have to adjust their manufacturing practices. This leads into the next point of increased unemployment. According to Harvard Business Review, this would hit especially hard in foreign countries such as China because they have a large labor force in low wage, low skilled workers. This could devastate the economy of many countries due to the replacement of 3D printers. It is more cost effective and efficient, but it could impair international trading and threaten developing nations (D’Aveni). Since having 3D printing will allow zero lead-time. A 3D printer can print on demand when an object is needed. The capacity for on the spot manufacturing reduces the need for companies to stockpile physical inventory. This would minimize the cost of long-distance shipping if printed goods are made when they are needed and near where they are needed. Thus conflicting with the economies employment processes.
Lastly, 3D printing is still in beta stages. Meaning parts created are mainly temporary or for test purposes. Manufacturing limitations are a big disadvantage as of now for 3D printing. They are perfect for prototypes because its inexpensive way of creating single parts, which you don’t have to create using tools. 3D printing is very helpful but not the realistic option as of the date.

Cornell, S. (2014, January 1). Disadvantages of 3D Printers. Retrieved March 31, 2015, from http://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/disadvantages-3d-printers-2212.html

This fellow Michigan State Spartan talks about how 3D printing is a viable technology for making parts that consist of no changes after produced and how it has become very efficient means to create parts. However, he believes that 3D printing comes with a lot of disadvantages. The purpose of this article is to show that 3D printing is not a feasible technology for the short and long run manufacturing. He makes many valid points why it can be a disadvantage, such as lack of materials because there are faults for certain items being used, such as plastic which cant be tested for strength of part. Questionable accuracy emphasizes on the fact that 3D printing is primarily for prototyping. 3D printing has had advances in accuracy, but there is room for error due to the quality of time and precision involved in it. Questionable accuracy, manufacturing limitations and limit to size, also play a big role in why Scott thinks 3D printing has its disadvantages. Scott Cornell has professionally been publishing since 2004. He is known to be published in newspapers such as, “Sports Illustrated”.

Sheffi, Y. (2013, July 18). Does 3D Printing Doom the Supply Chain? Retrieved March 31, 2015, from http://supplychainmit.com/2013/07/18/does-3d-printing-doom-the-supply-chain/. Professor Yossi

Sheffi who is a respected Director of MIT CTL analyzes his thought process on whether supply chain can be doomed because of 3D printing. By concerning about many scenarios in which 3D printing and whether they can be beneficial or dooming. Yossi expresses his thoughts in many valid points such as supply chains becoming obsolete due to the new flexibility that 3D printing produces. Alongside expedited shipments that wont be necessary as technology matures. Customization also explains how technology will close some doors for employees, however, opening up other potential opportunities making it not so bad. Yossi then goes on how 3D printing can make tailor products easier by computerizing blueprints. He goes on how it is smaller and more compact requiring fewer and less skilled operators. He emphasizes the possibilities that we can imagine in the early stage of technology’s evolution. Interesting fact he brought up is endless possibilities such as storing product blueprints rather than physical products, located “in the cloud”. It has a gripping vision. Even assuming consumers want to become micro manufacturing centers, the technology has many innovations to come in order to mass market this product. 3D printing is a disruptive technology that can destroy many traditional manufacturing models, but the concept of supply chain dying is left at the hand of the readers as additive manufacturing could or could not doom supply chain.

D'Aveni, Richard A. "3-D Printing Will Change the World." Harvard Business Review. N.p., 01 Mar. 2013. Web. 27 Apr. 2015.

D’Aveni is the Bakala Professor of Strategy at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business and the author of Strategic Capitalism. He talks about how 3-D printing and how it is ushering in a new era with the huge potential upside. He makes various points like goods being manufactured at or close to their point of purchase or consumption. Which could eliminate the need for supply chain management. Another implication is that products will be infinitely customized. Changing products will not take tools, but a little tweak in the instructions in the software. Quality control would be key in this age. He then goes on how China being a workshop of the world will lose much of its force and China will have to give up on being the mass-manufacturing powerhouse of the world.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
3D printing has revolutionized how we see technology. It has expanded the way we see supply chain. There are many advantages that come with 3D printing. Customization using CAD software is advantageous for economical product customization. Also, sustainability is directly related with supply chains, especially the operations and manufacturing sides of it. Focusing on carbon dioxide emissions. 3D printing is so versatile. You can use almost any material you want, but picking the right one to keep things sustainable is key. Another key component to 3D printing is operations management. By cutting techniques such as increasing material efficiency and decreasing labor cost, a supply chain can run leaner and maximize efficiency in operations. Many large suited companies are using 3D printing regardless of the expensive temporary cost. The long-term benefits will surely outweigh the short-term costs. There are also disadvantages to 3D printing, which consist of foreign manufacturing, increased unemployment, and manufacturing limitations that will affect the supply chain.

CONTRIBUTIONS
My contributions was writing the disadvantages and helping fix up the paper from errors and cohesiveness. I had the responsibility of coming up with 3 certain disadvantages of 3D printing and how they relate to supply chain and course materials. I also did my best to accommodate for my team and doing whatever was needed in order to work as a team.