Print me a Stradivarius
How a new manufacturing technology will change the world
THE industrial revolution of the late 18th century made possible the mass production of goods, thereby creating economies of scale which changed the economy—and society—in ways that nobody could have imagined at the time. Now a new manufacturing technology has emerged which does the opposite. Three-dimensional printing makes it as cheap to create single items as it is to produce thousands and thus undermines economies of scale. It may have as profound an impact on the world as the coming of the factory did.
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline "Print me a Stradivarius"
From the February 12th 2011 edition
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