Study, published in Energy Policy journal,contains a qualitative assessment of 3D printing induced sustainability implications and quantifies changes in life cycle costs, energy and CO2 emissions globally by 2025.
3D printing is intrinsically less wasteful and more sustainable, and it enables manufacturing to move closer to the customer. Instead of burning fossil fuels to transport parts and finished products around the world, digital files can be instantly sent to a 3D printers located in any part of the world. Depending on the material used, parts can be composed of renewable and recyclable feedstock. 3D printing on demand will lessen the need to maintain physical inventories of products and parts, shortening and simplifying the global supply chain.
According to the study, energy and CO2 emission intensities of industrial manufacturing are reducible by maximally 5% through 3D printing by 2025.
