Additive manufacturing, better known as 3D printing, is having a major impact worldwide — including in kitchen and bath design.
According to NKBA Tech Advisor Shelly Palmer, 3D printing is progressing faster than you may think. Kitchen and bath manufacturers need to consider both the positives, and negatives, of this new, futuristic technique.
Architects and consumers alike will soon start using open source designs to customize fixtures. In a 3D printed world, the physical world and virtual world will directly interact. The virtual world will hold files containing designs for different fixtures and parts that can then be 3D printed.
So what does this mean for inventory? Instead of paying money to make and store parts, manufacturers will soon be able to 3D print parts as needed. This will save storage costs, but also brings up the issue of copyrighting.
What does it mean to copyright a faucet design when someone can just tweak the virtual design a little bit, and claim it as their own?
Palmer discusses these issues and more in a new consumer insight video, “3D Printing and the Impact on Kitchen & Bath Design”. Watch the video below.
