The Knowledge to Decide

In what some have dubbed the Third Industrial Revolution, 3D printing is now allowing consumers to be masters of their own manufactured durable goods. But Asian countries will need to work a lot harder to avoid becoming laggards in this transformative new field. What is 3D printing? 3D printing refers to the process of making a three-dimensional solid object of virtually any shape from a digital model using powder, molten plastic or metals. It first slices a 3D computer model into layers, then builds the object one layer at a time using the 3D printer. The quality of the end-product is dependent on various factors, such as the base material, thinness of the layers, mechanics of the printer as well as the amount of preparation taken into consideration for the 3D computer model. Also known as additive manufacturing, 3D printing seeks to distinguish itself from “subtractive manufacturing”. The latter involves the cutting down and pairing-off materials to attach them together

Studies show that every year, US bus and railway fleets are upgraded by spending close to USD5.4 billion. Much of the vehicle and carriage assembly takes place in cost-effective regions of Asia. To prevent this, the Obama administration has enforced Buy America – a federal law that ensures transportation projects utilize 60 percent of products manufactured in the U.S. Some see this as a protectionist move, though others point to the fact that many governments around the world find ways to give work to large local firms so as to create domestic jobs. It is also the case that some manufacturing is shifting back to the US in any case, as a function of trends like rising costs in China and 3D printing. Nevertheless, will the US move herald a rise in protectionist measures globally? https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/will-the-new-year-see-a-rise-in-protectionism/

Japan and China are emerging as the leading Asian countries for 3D printing adoption, thanks to government initiatives and rapid growth in industrial demand. Can these countries outstrip the West in integrating 3D printing into supply chains? In an article inspired by the  SpirE-Journal , Spire shared its views on the challenges and opportunities in Asia’s 3D printing industry. In comparison to the 3D printing market in Europe and the US, Asia’s growth is sluggish. However, the Asia-Pacific region – especially Japan and China- is now 3D printing-ready, thanks to its extensive industrial base, government funding and a supportive research and development (R&D) eco-system. The Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry (METI) has set aside USD44 million in the 2014 budget to support R&D initiatives for metal products manufacture through 3D printing. This demonstrates its seriousness in promoting Japanese leadership in 3D printing. On the other hand, China’s Ministry