3D Printing is Proven to Have a Positive Impact on Global Trade

We in the 3D printing industry have known for some time that the technologies can be used to strengthen supply chains and more. This became even more obvious during the pandemic when 3D printing was a critical part of resolving blockages, notably in the medical sector. Now, a new paper from UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy has proven this. It shows that not only can 3D printing be used locally to solve issues, but that it has actually helped to expand trade in the past two years.

The study, published in the Journal of International Economics, is named Is 3D printing a threat to global trade? The trade effects you didn’t hear about and was co-authored by Caroline Freund, (economist and dean of the School of Global Policy and Strategy), Alan Mulabdic (economist for the Equitable Growth, Finance and Institutions’ Chief Economist’s Office at the World Bank) and Michele Ruta (lead economist at the World Bank). Though overall it sought to study more broadly the impact 3D printing has on trade, it focused specifically on how the production of hearing aids has been impacted by 3D printing, though they also looked at 35 other products including running shoes, aircraft parts and prosthetic limbs as a robustness check for the data.

The research comes from UC San Diego’s School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS) one of the top international affairs schools in the US (photo credits: GPS)

This newest evidence bolsters what we have already seen, that 3D printing is increasingly being considered a way to strengthen different industries and national economies. Indeed, confidence in the technology has grown so much that earlier this year the Biden Administration even launched the AM Forward Initiative. This voluntary public, private compact was designed to broaden 3D printing usage in American small and medium sized suppliers, focusing especially on struggling manufacturing regions like Ohio. It has already been joined by leading American companies (and early adopters of 3D printing technologies) such as Boeing, Honeywell, GE, Raytheon and Siemens Energy. Now, there is clear proof that 3D printing is worth investing in for the long-term health of international trade as well as local economies.