LITERATURE REVIEW ON A BUSINESS INNOVATION Essay

LITERATURE REVIEW ON A BUSINESS INNOVATION - Essay Example The 3D printing innovation underwent a long evolution that depicts great development in terms of affordability, usability, and efficiency in its numerous applications. The MIT and ZS Corporation made significant contributions to the introduction and development of the 3D printing innovation. 3D printing is a versatile yet short process that has great significance in digital economies that can change the world. It relates to the Rogers’s Diffusion of Innovation Theory. However, despite its significance and numerous applications, people are still considering various aspects before adopting 3D printing in their manufacturing companies. Nevertheless, 3D printing remains to be a fundamental aspect in the business world. Introduction 3D printing is one of the most celebrated business innovations that continue to influence the manufacturing and production industry. Also known as additive manufacturing, 3D printing is business and technological innovation that encompasses the process of making a three-dimensional solid product of any shape using a digital model (3Ders.org 2013, p. 1). Indeed, 3D printing is a huge versatile and rapid process that accommodates geometry of varying complexity in variant applications, and supporting many types of materials (Z Corporation 2005, p. 2). The 3D printers operate at resounding speeds, extremely low costs, and within a wide range of applications (Z Corporation 2005, p. 2). ... Additionally, products manufactured through 3D printing are applicable anywhere in the product life cycle. To achieve 3D printing, innovators used an additive process, where successive layers of material adopt different shapes. The 3D printing innovation, which uses additive processes, is completely different from the traditional machining processes, which used subtractive processes to remove materials in the manufacturing process. Indeed, 3D printing uses digital technology where it uses standard inkjet printing technology to create parts layer-by-layer by depositing a liquid binder onto thin layers of powder (Z Corporation 2005, p. 3). Then it moves the print heads over a bed of powder where it prints the cross-sectional data sent from .stl, .wrl, .ply, and .sfx files through a feed piston and platform (Z Corporation 2005, p. 2). Notably, the cross sectional layers join automatically to produce the final shape. The 3D printing offers improved visualization, greater automation, and more cost-effective reuse of 3D data (Z Corporation 2005, p. 2). Subject to its numerous applications, ability to produce objects of any shape or geometric feature, its effectiveness, and its low costs of production, 3D printing stands out as a successful business innovation using digital solutions. Indeed, through the 3D printing innovation, we can manufacture products locally (D'Aveni 2013, p. 1) and close to their point of purchase or consumption through a cheaper and faster process. Subject to its significance and effectiveness, the demand for 3D printers is on an increasing trend in the modern times. In this report, I will include the conceptual framework of this case using relevant theories. I will then present my findings and analyze the case. Conceptual