ADVANCES in accessible 3-dimensional (3D) design and fabrication technology are disrupting the design, engineering and entertainment professions, according to the local executive of Autodesk Inc.
The disruptions in these professions, as we know them, are brought about by these advances, Teddy D. Tiu told the Businessmirror in an interview via electronic mail.
“We’re on the brink of the biggest change in how we make things since the industrial revolution. This isn’t just about new technology; it’s about changes in culture, politics and attitudes,” Tiu, Autodesk Philippines country manager, said.
He explained that the 3D market for Autodesk covers a multitude of industries—architecture, engineering and construction; manufacturing; and media and entertainment.
“If you’ve ever driven a stylish car, admired a towering skyscraper, or watched a great movie, chances are you’ve experienced what Autodesk customers are doing with our software.” Tiu justified the broad range of industries Autodesk is playing in as making it “difficult to quantify the revenue potential for the 3D market precisely.”
“Our continued success of our business in the Philippines is testament to the growing adoption of 3D designing, modelling and manufacturing methods across all sectors and company sizes,” Tiu said sans citing revenue figures. He said the fundamental change in the way things are designed and made is driving this growth. Tiu said there are three major catalysts for disruption that Autodesk is observing:
• Means of production. Intellectual production is changing since the process of how we make a physical thing is evolving. Physical production is changing too—we simply don’t design, manufacture, or build things the same way as we used to.
• The nature of consumer demand. Customers care more about how and where things are made. Interest in locally made, produced, and sold items is growing everywhere.
• Product. “Product” is a proxy for all the things our customers make (whether it’s a building, movie, highway, or car). Things are now deeply connected—to each other and to other interconnected digital systems. The bottom line is things don’t function in isolation anymore. They are smart. They talk to each other, affect each other, even change over time.
“What this means is local companies, designers and entrepreneurs are now more empowered and equipped to bring their ideas to life.
They are no longer bound by traditional constraints of mass manufacturing.” Tiu emphasized that “3D design and printing are opening new possibilities for innovation and differentiation, and individuals, as well as companies, can bring their ideas to market faster and more profitably.”