Amazon Wants to Curb Warehouse Clutter by Installing 3-D Printers on Trucks

More than anything, logistics are the biggest hurdle for retailers like Amazon. Managing stock, maintaining warehouses and shipping orders is a constant juggling act. What if you could cut out all of the hassle, make an item on demand and deliver it directly to the consumer?

A recent patent application from Amazon has that future in mind, but is this doable? Can 3-D printing replace the old warehouse model?

Recently, a patent application surfaced showing how Amazon could implement 3-D-printing on demand. Roughly, the idea is this: A consumer orders an item on Amazon, the printing instructions are sent...