Towards the economic viability of Digital Manufacturing. In search for a business framework through regional case studies

After phases of high-tech prototyping equipment and rapid democratization, Digital Manufacturing (DM) is looking for methods of doing business around processes and skills so far developed. This ongoing Research aims to investigate the “market” sphere around DM: questioning how DM-based enterprises have set up their own commercial assets and how much their assets are influenced by locality when referring mainly to web-based clientele. Collecting different case studies at regional level, mapping technologies, services, and competences, 21 companies linked to the DM world in the Lazio region have been identified and categorized by the type of service provided, the technologies adopted and the overall design field in which they could be linked to. By this preliminary screening, direct interviews have highlighted three different types of manufacturers cataloged by their impact: “short-term” for those who offer the product, “mid-term” for those who offer the technologies and “long-term” for those who offer the competences. The contribution aims to outline a framework of possible business models born around DM. Findings may help DM-based companies and designers to fit better in the contemporary market by adjusting their physical and human assets, as well as commercial practices and design strategies.