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4 Key Trends to Watch in Smart Manufacturing and Supply Chain

GlobalTranz

The promise of AM is the use of less material, lightweight alloys and to provide faster cycle time due to rapid prototyping. AM has the potential to move manufacturing from mass production in large factories with dedicated machining and tooling lines to an era of mass customization and distributed smart manufacturing.

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[Infographic] The Power of 3D Printing in Manufacturing: An Illustrated Guide

GlobalTranz

The range of filaments these machines use has expanded from the original thermoplastics to metal alloys, wood , resin, consumables like sugar or chocolate, and even human cells. The success of makerspaces has been supported in large part by the invention of tools like 3D printers.