Managing Innovation in Organisation for 3D Printing- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theManaging Innovation in Organisation for 3D Printing. Answer: Introduction In past few decades, the technology has developed at a rapid speed due to a number of innovations. Major technological advancements resulted in improving people lives and making their work easier. This report will focus on 3D printing technology and analyse how it has marked as a major progress milestone in the technology sector. The 3D Printing technology is also called Additive manufacturing because it creates new objects or products by adding layers (McMenamin, Quayle, McHenry Adams, 2014). Other traditional forms of manufacturing are called subtractive manufacturing because they subtract material from objects in order to create new once. The 3D Printing technology has the potential to change manufacturing industry and positively influence peoples lives. This report will focus on manufacturing area of 3D printing technology and discuss its subtypes. This report will examine the major milestones in the 3D Printing technology and evaluate how it has affected organisations managemen t approach by analysing different examples. Further, this report will provide three future developments for 3D Printing technology by analysing its future influence. Area and Subtypes of 3D printing The 3D printing technology was first introduced in 1986 when Charles Hull created first ever 3D printer. After that, the technology has branched into different fields such as manufacturing, healthcare, production and others (Mueller, 2012). The area in which 3D printing technology has influenced the most is manufacturing field. 3D printing in Manufacturing Additive manufacturing process is most suitable for the production of new products or objects because of its number of benefits such as zero wastage, easy creation of complex objects, high level of detailing and others. Many manufacturing companies started investing in 3D printing technology in order to take its full advantage in their production operations (Vaezi, Seitz Yang, 2013)). Use of 3D printing in production process allows organisations to reduce material costs in the process. It has the potential to make manufacturing process extremely precise and infinite. The technology did not subtract materials which reduce the requirement for extra material. With the advancement of technology, the 3D printing technology is also able to use different materials in the production process which provide different options to manufacturers. It also reduces the requirement of labour costs since it is an automated process and does not require a large number of employees to work properly (Wong Hernandez, 2012). Therefore, it can be stated that 3D printing has a substantial influence on the manufacturing field and its different areas. Subtypes of 3D printing Following are different subtypes of 3D printing technology which can be used by organisations for different purposes. Vat Photopolymerisation In this process, a 3D printer is used that has a container filled with photopolymer resin which is hardened by use of a UV light. Stereolithography (SLA): In this process, an ultraviolet light hardened the curable photopolymer by tracing and creating cross sections on the surface of liquid resin (Wang, Goyanes, Gaisford Basit, 2016). Digital Light Processing (DLP): In this method, companies use light and photosensitive polymers to create new objects; it is very similar to Material Jetting In this method, the material is applied in the droplet by using a small diameter nozzle. This method is similar to a common inkjet paper printer; however, in this process, the material is applied layer-by-layer to create a 3D object (Gaytan et al., 2015). Contour Crafting This process uses the power of additive manufacturing to build houses for people. It uses the robotic device in order to automate the construction of large structures like houses. Most Importance Milestones Other than the first introduction of a 3D printer in 1986 by Charles Hull, the technology has further developed substantially by marking a number of major process milestones. Following are few of its examples. Industrial After building of first ever 3D printer by Charles Hull, the patent for Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) was applied by Carl Deckard (Mazzoli, 2013). In the automotive industry, Ford introduced first every 3D printer in 1986 for prototyping new part designs. Similarly, Boeing started using 3D printing technology for creating complex aircrafts parts which cannot otherwise be created at the high level of accuracy. In 2014, BAE Systems started using 3D printers for creating metal components for defence, security and aerospace purposes (Harwood, 2017). Medical 3D printing technology has made it easier and cheaper to create prosthetic parts, such as legs and arms. The technology has made it easier for corporations to create these parts with a high level of accuracy and making them easily available for people who require them worldwide. From 1999 to 2010, the 3D printing technology started revolutionising the medical industry and at the same time, first ever human organ created using a 3D printer which was a human bladder. After that, it becomes easier for healthcare professionals to create blood vessels, miniature kidney, and other human organs (Ventola, 2014). The researchers at Wake Forest Institute were able to use 3D printing technology for creating human skin which was a major milestone. Commercial From 2009, it has become easier for small start-ups and organisations to offer affordable 3D printers to the general public which they can use to build different 3D printed objects. The commercialisation of 3D printing technology is major milestone, and it will provide substantial business opportunities to a large number of organisations (Stabile, Scungio, Buonanno, Arpino Ficco, 2017). Technological In 2016, giant technology corporations such as Hewlett Packard and General Electric started investing in space technology. HPs Multi Jet Fusion technology is based on 3D printing technology which enables the firm to create spaceship components which require a high level of accuracy (Materialise, 2018). Effect of 3D printing technology on Organisations Following are different companies which harness the potential of 3D printing technology and use it to gain a competitive advantage. General Electric The company use 3D printers to create more than 85,000 fuel nozzles for Leap jet engines. The finished products from 3D printers are much lighter and accurate then compared to its alternatives which reduce its overall costs. The management is able to ensure that parts are created by using low costs materials, and the components are created with high level of accuracy. However, the ability of 3D printers to create new nozzles is relatively slower which require innovations to speed up the process (Conner et al., 2014). Boeing Boeing was an early adopter of 3D printing technology, and it has used the technology to create more than 20,000 parts for ten different commercial and military planes. The management also invests in additive manufacturing programs in University of Nottingham and University of Sheffield in order to ensure that they are able to improve the technology and use it in mass production (Lipson Kurman, 2013). Ford The management of Ford realised the potential of 3D printing technology from the early 1980s, and recently the company printed its 500,000th part by using a 3D printer. The management has invested in 3D printing technology because by using traditional methods it would take around four mounts and $500,000 to create its products whereas 3D printers are able to do the same job in four days and $3,000 (Ford, 2015). Therefore, 3D printing technology provides a competitive advantage to Ford over its competitors because the firm is able to reduce its time and resources in the production process. Recommendations Following are three recommendations for future development of 3D printing technology for organisations which can assist them in gaining a competitive advantage. Additive manufacturing is the future of production operations, and organisations are requiring investing in the technology in order to gain competitive advantage. The leading corporations such as General Electric, Ford and Boeing realised the potential of 3D printing technology in the 1980s, and they started investing in the technology which provided them a competitive advantage. Similarly, other manufacturing companies should invest in using 3D printers in their manufacturing process to improve its efficiency and effectiveness. The companies should invest in 3D printing technologys research and development programs for developing the technology. Although the technology has grown substantially since its first introduction in the 1980s, however, it has not achieved its full potential. Similarly, like Boeing, corporations should invest in 3D printing programs for developing the technology and making it more suitable for their operations. 3D printers offer a prominent market to organisations, and they should invest in creating more affordable printers for the general public. In the future, people will be able to create new objects at home by using 3D printers which will disrupt the manufacturing industry. Therefore, organisations and start-ups should invest in creating affordable and easy 3D printers for people. Conclusion In conclusion, the 3D printing technology was first developed in the 1980s, and it has developed exponentially since then. The technology enables organisations and people to create complex objects easily and in relatively less time than compared to traditional methods of productions. The technology has a substantial influence on manufacturing field since it enables companies to create new objects without expensive machinery and labour. Major milestones of the technology in different field such as medical, productions, commercial and technology are discussed in the report. The technology has affected management approach in organisations such as Ford, General Electric and Boeing since it allows them to create complex machinery components without incurring heavy costs. Various recommendations are given in the report for organisations regarding 3D printing technology such as increases in investment in 3D printers will allow them to reduce costs and increase the efficiency of operations. Organisations should increase the investment in research and development of 3D printing technology, and they should introduce new commercial 3D printers for the general public. These recommendations can assist organisations in using 3D printing technology effectively which will provide a competitive advantage and sustain their future growth. References Conner, B. P., Manogharan, G. P., Martof, A. N., Rodomsky, L. M., Rodomsky, C. M., Jordan, D. C., Limperos, J. W. 2014. Making sense of 3-D printing: Creating a map of additive manufacturing products and services.Additive Manufacturing,1, 64-76. Ford. 2015. 3d Printing Helps Ford to Develop All-New Ford GT And Means You Can Build A Supercar At Home. 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