3D printing has brought us the opportunity of making Konya a province through which a global value chain passes.

The hottest development in 2012 for me was that I touched a 3D printout for the first time. Last year I learned what a 3D printer looked like. And I have to admit that I am still having a hard time believing what I saw. It felt like a science fiction movie, yet it is not. The first 3D printing museum was opened in China on the 15^th. Visitors can have their bodies scanned and have miniature 3D sculptures of themselves. Such is the world now. We are on the eve of a new era during which the meaning of production in the sense we know it will change radically. Globalization will deepen even further, and directly and deeply affect Turkey’s Konya, Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş’ı, Diyarbakır, and Kocaeli. Technological advancement is the sole reality of the present age. Let me tell you why and leave the decision to you.

First, the definitions. What is a 3D printer? It is a device that allows you get a 3D print out of your computer. Let’s say you've designed a new machine. After the design process, you have to get a prototype made and then find a factory or a workshop that will mass-produce the machinery based on the prototype. You don’t have to look for someone to make the prototype anymore. After designing, you can immediately get a prototype out of your computer using your 3D desktop printer. Similarly, you can send your design online to any workshop and start the production process, no matter where you live.

Second, the 3D printer is not a new invention; it has been around for the last three decades. But now they are about to become widespread for commercial use. Prices have fallen remarkably and the models have been diversifying based on designers' needs.

So, how is a 3D printer supposed to change the modus operandi of SMEs? To begin with, multinational firms in the US and Europe constitute a small proportion of American companies. These have borne the cost of establishing international production and distribution networks. Lately, costs have been heading downward. Now we will witness American and European SMEs establishing international networks of their own. More importantly, they will be doing this sitting in their offices.

Second, regions that are at a certain level of development but not involved in any global value chain will be able to become one with 3D printing technology. They just need to be aware of their capability and spread the word. With this sharp fall in the cost of the from-design-to-production process, SMEs in Turkey and similar countries will gain importance in the production process.

Third, in this new era, contract logistics will further their importance besides China for SMEs of the center to build global value chains. I believe that there will arise a need for a group of mediators who know the regional capacities well and which design must be sent to which 3D printer in which region.

We are about to witness a new silent revolution in manufacturing industry, shaped around global value chains. 3D printing has brought us the opportunity of making Konya a province through which a global value chain passes. If only Turkey were more active rather than a mere spectator. Preliminary work to develop the capacity to recognize something good for us would be good for starters.

This commentary was publlished in Radikal daily on 29.01.2013