3-D Printing Presents Opportunities and Challenges for the U.S. Postal Service

The imminent 3-D printing revolution "might be a huge opportunity for the U.S. Postal Service," an in-depth study says. But, as usual with the USPS, where there are opportunities there are also caveats and hurdles.

First, let's dig through the study, which was released this week by the USPS Office of Inspector, to answer some basic questions about 3-D printing and what it might mean for the Postal Service. Then we'll examine some of the challenges.

The most likely scenario is that 3-D printing will increase USPS’s commercial package volume by 18 percent, which would translate to $485 million annually