Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, was one of the key themes on the show floor and in the seminars at a recent event consisting of six co-located shows covering manufacturing services, product design, packaging, automation, embedded systems, and more.
Speakers and exhibitors agreed that 3D printing will never take the place of traditional manufacturing techniques when it comes to mass production, aside from uses such as rapid prototyping, where it is already established in some industries. There are, however, a number of niche areas where it is likely to become a factor. As one speaker said, “It’s not about replacing current manufacturing processes, it’s about opening new doors.”
Most of these opportunities are relevant to the world of licensed products:
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• Personalization and pre-orders. Consumers can choose the features they want before their purchase is printed and shipped. UPS is one of many companies jumping into this niche by adding 3D printing capabilities in its stores to allow small and mid-sized companies to fulfill custom pre-orders.
• Very small quantities. One exhibitor said a fashion designer had stopped by to inquire about 3D-printing a custom button. Beyond unique design elements, a shortened design cycle—meant to bring products to market quickly—often goes hand-in-hand with a need for small quantities of finished merchandise, at least initially.
• More flexible, cost-effective, and customer-friendly product development. Nike uses 3D printing to create the perfect footwear for an individual athlete’s needs, and then can mass-produce the signature shoe traditionally after consumers see how well it performs on the field.
• Legacy products. A decorative design element in a historic house would have little mass appeal but is needed by consumers maintaining period homes. The ability to keep obsolete products alive by supplying discontinued parts could help keep a brand or property alive and maintain its appeal among its best customers during low points in its lifecycle.
It should be noted that 3D printing is not limited to the plastics that are commonly seen in licensing today, such as in printed figurines depicting fans in the uniforms of their favorite athletes or in customized iPhone cases. Exhibitor ProtoLabs was touting its ability to 3D print in more than 100 metal, plastic, and silicone materials.
All of the situations listed above could certainly apply to licensing. Many licensed properties and products appeal to small consumer groups, and novelty and personalization are fan-friendly qualities. Lifecycles of properties and products can be short, and at the same time there is a need to meet demand both from small numbers of early adopters and from loyal fans that continue to desire merchandise after mainstream consumers have moved on.
One indication of the value of 3D printing for the licensing business is the fact that Disney Enterprises is near the top of a list of companies that have filed patents related to 3D printing technology. In fact, in sheer numbers, Disney ranks above 3D printing specialists such as Adobe, which markets 3D design software, and XYZ Printing, which sells 3D printers and scanners.
The six shows—MD&M Minneapolis, MinnPack, ATX, Design & Manufacturing, Plastec, and the Embedded Systems Conference—were overseen by Licensing Expo manager UBM. Other trends of note included virtual reality, robotics, and the Internet of Things.
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