**2. Business model innovation with 3D printing technologies**

Originally, only large, industrial companies could afford to use 3D printing technologies. Recent cost reductions in these technologies, however, have made them more affordable for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and for individual entrepreneurs [23]. Moreover, 3D printing technologies are increasingly used to develop and produce a wide variety of products for direct consumer markets. The expectation is that the 3D printing technologies will lead to increased competition between the traditional mass production industry and the mass customization industry and among SMEs, individual entrepreneurs, and "prosumers."

The 3D printing technologies, with their new producers, new markets, and new products and applications, present a challenge to current business models. In these business models, competition is the rivalry for markets as viewed from a traditional market economy perspective. In the high-tech economy, business models for users of 3D printing technologies require new perspectives on competition. For example, with the increasing use of AM, a more dynamic market structure may emerge in which former market boundaries and structures are less relevant. As development and production costs decrease, business opportunities may also increase for SMEs as well as for large manufacturers [23, 24].

## *From Traditional Manufacturing to Digital Manufacturing: Two Swedish Case Studies DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.111862*

Companies that engage in AM need to reconsider their value propositions and their operating models. These considerations are fundamental in business model innovation that addresses, at minimum, changes in customer base, in market demand, in competitor rivalry, in product lines, and obviously in the high-tech economy, in technologies.

For example, AM integration into business activities can affect customer involvement and value chains [25], resulting in a shift from a manufacturing-centric business model to a consumer-centric business model that provides value based on customization and co-creation. Furthermore, the shift to consumer-centric business models can lead to more decentralized supply chains. Online platforms can also provide access to digital design files that allow the customer to download, personalize, and manufacture products and their components. While many companies have already identified the business benefits of AM, they may lack the knowledge needed to implement this technology. Knowledge of the entire product development chain is necessary to succeed in integrating AM with other business activities [26].

Companies may be slow or reluctant to recognize their need to shift from one business model to another to meet new market or financial opportunities. Companies must be convinced of the benefits of adapting or even restructuring their business models [19]. For example, companies using 3D printing technologies, such as AM, may manufacture products on demand at minimal cost and may move rapidly upstream or downstream as they focus on design and service. This means companies can more easily adapt the "length" of their business model by increasing/decreasing activity engagement [23].
