Gordon Styles, the founder and president of Star Rapid, a 3D printing service provider, has been 3D printing since 1993, about which he quips, “It was a huge surprise to me when, in 2011, I found out that 3D printing was just invented.” As Styles implies, 3D printing has only recently become a buzzword, which is sort of oxymoronic.
While it is still considered a major disruptive technology, the process was patented in 1984 and commercially available three years later. And while the technology may not be new today, its applicability in supply chain and logistics is going to revolutionize the way we design, manufacture, store and transport products tomorrow.
