Providing Perspective at America Makes TRX in Austin

Providing Perspective on How the Supply Chain is Turning into a Supply Web Thanks to Additive Manufacturing

I arrived in Austin, TX for America Makes Technical Review & Exchange (TRX) to present 3Diligent’s take on the additive supply chain with the America Makes membership and selected guests. These attendees represent some of the biggest names in additive manufacturing—the thought leaders from the largest manufacturing, aerospace, and medical companies in the US and a number of international as well.

TRX events are semi-annual events where America Makes members—the leading companies in American additive manufacturing—gather to review America Makes programs and discuss key challenges facing the industry.

The topic of my presentation to the group is key trends defining the additive supply chain today and predictions on where these trend lines will take us. With respect to a view of the future, at 3Diligent we are believers the traditional supply chain will actually start to break apart and eventually reassemble into a supply web. Instead of mass-produced goods flowing to end consumers in a straight line sequential order, production will take place in many places, with additive serving as an input to many later stages of distribution that has been the case for more than a century. We also believe digital natives—companies were born with additive in mind—will be key drivers in this transformation.

In my presentation, I highlight how companies such as 3Diligent can play a valuable role in helping companies seeking to take full advantage of this paradigm shift brought about by additive and other CAD-driven technologies.