1. Social Impacts of 3D Printing Marcus Wigan Adjunct Professor, Faculty of ICT, Swinburne University of Technology 3D Printing Showcase : University of Melbourne : 7 November 2013 www.mwigan.c om

2. The Social Impacts of 3D Printing University of Melbourne 7-11-13 3D Printing: Why is it a social issue? User driven takeup RepRap*, Maker and Object Hacking Communities Open Source Hardware Open Source Software Open Source Customisable Objects All these are user driven, user supported and have thriving global social communities already Industry is also seeing a movement to economic short run mass customised distributed manufacturing Intangibles are already 80% of value of major firms... * RepRap: 3D printers capable of printing the parts to replicate themselves

3. The Social Impacts of 3D Printing University of Melbourne 7-11-13 Education is the first run killer app.. Schools are a prime target.. Engineering manpower! The integration of software (Mathematica, Google Sketchup, MatLab etc ) stimulated at an early stage Mechatronics framed as fun Many similarities to the 1980 era of microcomputers - Which were also driven by cross disciplinary social networks Jewellery and Food are already early adopters Art follows closely behind – Objects ‘impossible’ to make can be visualised and then created..

4. The Social Impacts of 3D Printing University of Melbourne 7-11-13 Fashion Art ; the Impossible Realized ; or your own item scanned... r Fashion Art the Impossible Realized or your own item scanned...

5. The Social Impacts of 3D Printing University of Melbourne 7-11-13 Context Near universal computer access at all ages Cost effectiveness is already here at a household level Dematerialisation trends are still accellerating Global communications are now established expectation Disintermediation is a key disruptive aspect - affecting retail, distribution, delivery, spares.. - and branding

6. The Social Impacts of 3D Printing University of Melbourne 7-11-13 User driven Retail Trade Disruption The ‘Aussie Tax’ is now widely resented Global communications demand global simultaneity of access Disruption of music, software, media, differential geopricing models now well advanced on the net Open Source software now widely trusted and competitive – and a global, responsive community Open Objects are the next in line.. Mass customisation is increasingly possible – and will be demanded Business models that rely on expensive and limited stock spares are already under threat

7. The Social Impacts of 3D Printing University of Melbourne 7-11-13 The ThingiVerse Open Object Repository Thingiverse is a universe of things. Download our files and build them with your laser cutter, 3D printer, or CNC.

8. The Social Impacts of 3D Printing University of Melbourne 7-11-13 Business models dependent on IP constraints are the next to come under social pressure 3D scanning now affordable for average consumers 3D printers already available starting at $200-500 Object modification not covered by current IP controls The questionable behaviour of the entertainment industries have severely degraded the credibility of IP High priced stocks of small plastic items often requiring a complete assembly to be bought- at risk Small current 3D printers are already showing excellent rates of return in domestic environments B.T. Wittbrodt a, A.G. Glover a, J. Laureto a, G.C. Anzalone b, D. Oppliger c, J.L. Irwin d, J.M. Pearce (2013) Life-cycle economic analysis of distributed manufacturing with open-source 3-D printers, Mechatronics Volume 23, Issue 6, September Pages 713–726

9. The Social Impacts of 3D Printing University of Melbourne 7-11-13 “What they found was a stark contrast between buying complete goods and making them at home: It would cost a consumer from $312 to $1944 to purchase the 20 items online compared to $18 to print them over the course of a weekend”

10. The Social Impacts of 3D Printing University of Melbourne 7-11-13 Social Aspects The global communities are already developed - Thingiverse : a key first mover for Object access Home use is already moving into schools -many school kids have already built RepRaps The software barriers are falling fast A shift to making consumer items at home is co ming

11. The Social Impacts of 3D Printing University of Melbourne 7-11-13 Broader Social Issues The logistics aspects of manufacture and distribution - every home and business is now a travel free potential delivery point for physical objects Sustainability aspects of both manufacture, assembly, distribution and delivery should all place a solid momentum behind government interest in even the early stages of 3D printing takeup The shift to a substantial fraction of manufacturing to utilise 3D printing (50% of GEs production within 7 years) emphasises the types of jobs that will grow Social impacts will be increasingly felt in employment, distribution and retail.