How 3D Printing Technology Will Affect Package Delivery by the Postal Service

According to a recent report, the United States Postal Service may use 3D printing technology to revive its ailing business. The new technology would be a financial boon in a number of ways, but in the USPS's traditional business of shipping packages and by having the government own mail service branch out into 3D printing items itself.

The idea is that 3D printing will lead to more single item parcels being shipped over shorter distances rather than hundreds of thousands of identical items being shipped over longer distances. This will lead to less fuel consumption and less emissions.

The USPS maintains a massive "first mile" and "last mile" delivery network that fits perfectly into a model in which businesses make 3D printed items close to their customers. As the technology matures and more people begin making 3D printed items at home, they will still need a way for materials like powders and binding materials. The USPS believes that its delivery network and its expertise in shipping lightweight packages will fit perfectly to satisfy this need.

The postal service could go even further by partnering with businesses to actually install 3D printers on site at its various post offices along with micro warehousing. This would cut costs for the 3D printing manufacturer and would open up a new revenue stream for the USPS.

To maintain the security of files which may have copyrighted designs, the postal service could provide its own network or even deliver the designs on physical media, providing a level of security that the Internet cannot meet.

It short the postal service is thinking about how 3D printing could benefit its business and is planning to react accordingly.