Some people are describing it as the catalyst for the next Industrial Revolution. Others are predicting it will one day become so commonplace that it can be found in a home. It’s no surprise, then, that more and more businesses are paying close attention to the emergence of 3D printing.

Also known as additive manufacturing, 3D printing is one of the newest and latest technologies to affect the manufacturing industry. According to this article, 3D printing allows for “designers and engineers to imagine, computer-model, and build objects within hours…objects are built from scratch, layer by layer, with no wasted materials.” Due to this technology, the manufacturing process is aimed to change dramatically.

Already, we are beginning to see how 3D printing is being incorporated into the industry. We certainly feel as if manufacturing is on the cusp of a 3D printing explosion, and we do believe that it is going to be the future of manufacturing and industry. But how will it directly affect our company and our business of custom fasteners? To start, we think the additive technology will make the machining process much smoother and it will be used with a wide range of materials. Not only do we believe that at some point in the future we will be using 3D printing to produce fasteners, but we also believe it will be incredibly useful when it comes to prototyping, especially in rapid prototyping. As a company that does a fair amount of prototype work, we can see how 3D printing can revolutionize the process.

While we are not investing in 3D printing at the moment, we are certainly aware of its potential and we’re watching its progress in the industry. We’re excited to see what comes next!