How 3D Printing will socially, politically, and economically affect the world
Positive Impacts
Societal
3D printing does have many positive societal impacts like with the fact that the new and growing technology of 3D printing and big companies backing it up like Hp and Google it will become more available to the general public. Another advantage is that everyday people can create household appliances by themselves using the 3D which can revolutionize manufacturing. Since the goods are going to be created in households, the price will drop significantly. The new inventions being made can make advances in STEM.
Political
While there are not many political impacts of 3D printing but there are a few impacts. The first thing is that China will no longer be the most mass producing country in the new era for at least a while. This is because 3D printing can create and do repairs with tweaking of software which help America's manufacturing force to increase. Also countries like China will move from east to western countries countries like United States.
Economical
One of the many economic positive impacts is that it is much cheaper to create prototypes for innovators. When these objects are being created there is little or no excess materials left when in regard to talking about plastic or metal. With this technology more objects can be created and these objects can possibly affect the economy in a positive way in the future. When 3D printing could have potential make new industries and companies, which in turn can create many new jobs. Also the manufacturing chain becomes smaller saving money.
Technological
3D printing will have major impacts in the field of technology. 3D printing will lead the way to create many new types technology based of additive manufacturing. Also 3D printing can also help create many new types of components in printers which in turn can help make many more new types of printers for certain occasions. The final major way 3D printers will affect the technology is to also five way to create new technology that is based off the software surrounding the 3D object creation.
Environmental
Even though 3D printing does not have zero waste, it does create much less waste compared to a normal printer. It also creates less raw materials and this will also decrease the amount of waste created from acquiring the raw materials. Another positive impact is that there is less need for packaging which is currently a major issue on landfills. One of the major positive impact is 3D printing will help create mass manufacturing while reducing the amount of carbon footprint that is usually created because of mass production.
Negative Impacts
Societal
Political
Since 3D printing will gradually shift the mass manufacturing areas from China to United States for at least a brief period of time. Our political and economical relations with China will possibly change to the worse than the better. Many of the rules and regulations surrounding the 3D printing are still blurry and could affect the government in a negative way if they don't figure the rules out. 3D printing can also be a disruptive force to the government concerning the objects that are made using 3D printers.
Economical
If 3D printing industry's disruptive force was to decimate other industrial industry then it will hurt the economic and the stock market because of companies losing their business. Also the people in companies will also hurt the economy since many people will lose their jobs because the manufacturing chain has decreased and will have to find new jobs.
Technological
One of the drawbacks of the 3D printers is that it will put some technological industries out of business because the won't be needed that much, since there is 3D printing. Like any new technology it is dehumanizing and 3D printing is also more dehumanizing than it is at having a positive impact on other technologies. Since 3D printers allow things to be created in their homes the need for transportation, packaging and the need for other facilities will decrease over the years.
Environmental
Like any type of product, there are environmental problems with 3d printers. Some of the materials that are used in 3D printers contain chemicals that can cause health problems. In Addition the 3D printers release unhealthy air emissions when the 3D printers is in use and can cause health problems, especially for people with asthma. The 3D printers heavily reliant on using plastic filament and to produce these plastic filament has bad environmental effects. Finally some 3D printers use an element called antimony which can possible have bad effects on the environment when used excessively in
a short period of time.
