Forbes: The Enemy Of Innovative 3D Printing In Automotive – The Project’s Buyer

There is the belief amongst investors that traditional automotive companies cannot keep up with new entrants into the automotive area during a period of explosive innovation: autonomous, electric vehicles, connected platforms, etc. Agility is not the strength of monolithic corporations steeped in historical ways of working and, therein, are seen as “slow to the game” versus neophytes who beta test new features on public roads.

For the most part, that preconceived notion is flawed since those traditional manufacturers have the working capital to fuel innovation, whereas the startups are fighting to survive long enough to eventually see production revenues.However, one fundamental function at these well-established companies might hurt their competitiveness in the coming years: the project-specific Buyer from the corporation’s Purchasing Department. Much like a Clydesdale, this blinder-laden workhorse is rewarded for its focused attention on the task in front of them – specifically a lower Bill of Materials (BOM) cost for the vehicle or system — and that myopic viewpoint is seen as an advantage over engineers who might get distracted by new technology.

Read More: Forbes