Michael Molitch-Hou for Engineering.com:  In some ways, the dream of 3D printing is also the dream of the automated factory, in which a machine can manufacture products 24/7 without any intervention by labor. As it stands, many additive manufacturing (AM) technologies are already capable of performing work that would have previously required a great deal of human intervention.

For instance, aerospace manufacturers have found that, by digitally combining multiple parts, it’s possible to 3D print complete assemblies that require no actual assembly by human hands. That being said, AM is still a long way away from the dream of the automated factory. There are numerous steps, from checking, prepping and loading CAD files to removing prints from the machine, post-processing them and shipping them out the door.

One might expect a manufacturing giant like GE to be at the forefront of automating these steps, but, in fact, smaller companies like Voodoo Manufacturing may be the ones to look to for advances in automation, as well.  Full Article: