Chemistry | 3-D Printing: Has The Technology Stalled? Or Is It Set To Revolutionise E-Commerce?

3-D printing technology burst onto the domestic market in the early 2010s, with tech enthusiasts and early adopters eagerly snapping up machines and cramming them into their homes. In those early days, hushed whispers of excitement had even begun trickling down to mainstream society.

But it was not to last, and the novelty soon wore off. People quickly discovered that aside from specialised professional roles – such as those involving prototyping – and niche circles like Warhammer hobbyists, the average person had little practical use for the technology beyond producing overly expensive whistles and other plastic baubles. Ultimately, 3-D printers became the new Betamax.

I would even dare to suggest that the general public's interest in the technology is so low that many readers may have briefly forgotten that this technology ever existed; and of those who haven't, most will only have a vague idea of how it works.

But despite the general apathy towards the product, developers and scientists have continued to tinker in the background on something that could signal a comeback for 3‑D printing of epic proportions.

3-D Printing: How Does It Work? 

3-D printing, sometimes called additive manufacturing, is a process that transforms digital designs into tangible objects by laying down materials one slice at a time.

The journey begins with a computer-aided design (or CAD) file – a detailed blueprint of the intended object. This digital model is then sliced into hundreds, or even thousands, of thin horizontal layers by specialised software, essentially preparing a step-by-step guide for the printer.

The printer reads this guide and begins depositing the chosen material – commonly a type of plastic, metal or even ceramic – in a controlled pattern. Each layer is carefully laid down and solidified before the next is added, gradually building the object from the bottom up.

Two common methods are fused deposition modelling (FDM), which uses a heated nozzle to melt a filament that is then precisely extruded to form layers, and stereolithography (SLA), which involves curing liquid resin with ultraviolet light to harden each thin layer.

3-D Printers: What Does The Field Look Like Today?

The field, despite receiving little coverage, has undergone significant evolution in recent years.

Entry-level printers, in particular, have seen considerable price reductions, with the average budget-friendly FDM model now costing between $100 and $500.

The increasing affordability of the technology has made it accessible to hobbyists on the fence and, perhaps more importantly, to small businesses looking for a competitive advantage against overseas production.

However, when it comes to industrial‐grade systems that provide higher precision, speed and larger build volumes, the capital outlay remains high, leaving the economics of 3‑D printing nuanced. 

You see, while the technology excels in rapid prototyping and customised low‑volume production, full‑scale production applications are still hampered by issues such as machine utilisation, support costs (including failure rates and post‑processing) and the relatively slow printing speeds compared to conventional manufacturing techniques.

Current technological limitations also pose a challenge. Despite recent advancements in the software algorithms designed to print more intricate designs, modern printers still struggle to maintain the necessary resolution and repeatability for critical applications.

It's a problem that typically occurs with large parts, which often suffer from dimensional inaccuracies due to thermal contraction and the layer-by-layer build process.

Additionally, if this form of high-tech manufacturing is to enter European and US markets, energy efficiency must be improved. Otherwise, high-volume production will remain financially prohibitive due to persistently high energy costs in the developed world, which is striving to meet net-zero targets.

Despite these problems, there remain positive signals of development, as the range of printable materials in industrial contexts continues to expand. Selective laser and electron beam melting technologies have enabled the printing of metals such as titanium and stainless steel, even if they require a degree of post‐processing.

Ceramic and composite materials are also making inroads, often via binder jetting or extrusion methods, broadening the scope of the technology's applications from aerospace to biomedical engineering.

3-D printers are even at the early stages of being able to print wooden materials. The filaments used are typically composed of a thermoplastic – commonly PLA – blended with fine wood fibres or sawdust, often constituting around 30–40% of the composite by weight. The formulation reportedly imparts a natural wood-like appearance, texture, and subtle aroma. Moreover, by adjusting the printing parameters – particularly the nozzle temperature – users can achieve varied finishes, as the wood particles can be made to darken or char slightly.

Although materials with high melting points or high reactivity – such as certain high-performance superalloys and specialised metals – continue to pose challenges for the foreseeable future, the ever-expanding range of products produced by industrialised 3-D printers is proving additive manufacturing to be a viable option, provided the process is refined and made more efficient.

According to one study's analysis, AI‐driven enhancements – such as real‐time process optimisation and improved quality control – are expected to begin noticeably benefiting manufacturing within the next five to ten years, while disruptive technologies such as quantum computing are regarded as long‐term developments.

A Look Ahead: 3-D Printing, Digital Patents, & The Future Of E-Commerce

So, looking ahead, what changes could a mature version of this technology bring? Well, imagine a future where the traditional model of selling physical products is upended by the rise of downloadable digital blueprints. 

In this scenario, customers purchase patents or design files directly through e-commerce giants like Amazon.

Once acquired, these digital files would enable home-based or local manufacturing using 3-D printing technology; you would essentially be buying the licence to print a product immediately at home.

This evolution would not only eliminate the need for massive storage facilities but would also drive down shipping expenses, since production occurs near or at the point of need, thereby streamlining the last mile of delivery that was historically reliant on human labour and complex logistics.

Although the idea is tantalising, the technology behind this shift, while promising, is still in its relative infancy.

Most likely, the immediate adoption phase will be gradual and niche. Early adopters might initially be those willing to invest in higher-end, customisable printers for personal or professional use—a luxury and convenience option rather than a mass-market standard.

Over time, as the technology matures, economies of scale and advancements in materials science could make high-quality, on-demand manufacturing viable and affordable for everyday consumers.

The slow and gradual roll-out will allow companies to tailor the process, refine digital intellectual property frameworks, and build consumer trust in the reliability and quality of home-printed goods.

Now, I haven’t got ahead of myself here; this isn’t some far‑off sci‑fi idea that will take half a century or more to achieve – like the perpetual promise of flying cars.

Big e‑commerce players have, and continue to, show considerable interest in on‑demand 3‑D printing technology. Amazon, in particular, has already filed a number of patents, some of which were given the stamp of approval as recently as 2017.

Amazon’s Proposed On-Demand 3-D Manufacturing Chain: Image sourced from Amazon’s patent filing. (Credit: Amazon)

Now, exactly how or when this translates into a product you can buy is probably less to do with e-commerce sites' inability to facilitate the transition on their end and more to do with the state of 3‑D printing technology in the domestic market. The general consensus is that it will be around 7–10 years before sufficiently capable devices become common enough in homes that you could theoretically instant‑print your dinner plate.

However, as the voice in the back of your head is already warning you, the economic ramifications of this technology would be unprecedented. On a domestic level, the reduction in traditional warehousing and long-haul logistics could lead to significant job losses in sectors centred around storage, shipping, and delivery operations. Internationally, the impact on manufacturing jobs would be cataclysmic as production shifts from centralised factories in low-cost regions to decentralised, automated printing hubs.

It's possible that what might be perceived as a loss in traditional roles could pave the way for a renaissance in craftsmanship – artisans and designers might transform into curators of digital design by merging their creative expertise with automated production. 

In the short term, this shift could mitigate some of the job losses in developed countries, but it wouldn’t be too long before AI began taking on a larger role in design. And given what changes like this have already done to the modern employment landscape, you are probably better off sceptical than hopeful.

The TLDR: Has 3-D Printing Technology Stalled, Or Is A Revolution In E-Commerce On The Horizon?

Although the hype around the technology has largely fizzled away and the domestic market for it has, on the whole, stagnated – or at least not met the lofty ambitions many once had – scientists and developers in the field have continued to innovate and leverage new and emerging technologies. However, how far and how quickly that innovation will take place is still up for speculation, as is whether there will be a complete revolution in the way we purchase, deliver, and build products.

What is clear is that there is a genuine economic benefit for businesses and a market for the product; only time will tell if it matures to a level at which it can be fully utilised, or whether it will become yet another promising technology perpetually on the horizon.

But if – or more likely, when – the technology does reach the market, perhaps the more salient question is: what will be the societal and global cost?

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