CHAPTER 9

The Rise of Digital Manufacturing and the Boundaries of the Firm

This chapter discusses developments in the impact of new advanced materials within the auto supply chain, largely driven by new fuel and safety standards. It includes a brief overview of the new engineering tools that enable suppliers to undertake component engineering with the new materials. Then we lay out case studies of a steel company, a hydroformer and a moldmaker. One was historically a supplier of a commodity product, sheet steel. Another focused on building stamping presses. The third moved from traditional turning to combined machining and 3D printing. All are now involved in the design stage of products. The central theme is the combination of advanced materials ...

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