Jim Ahearn June 20, 2016 2 min read

Opportunities and Risks of 3-D Printing

As 3-D printing continues to evolve and become less expensive, it will provide opportunities and risks for manufacturers of all sizes. In fact, Hewlett-Packard (HP) recently unveiled two new 3-D printers, to be released to manufacturers by the end of 2016. These printers were developed with help from businesses such as Nike, BMW and Siemens.

Although many anticipate that 3-D printing has the potential to revolutionize manufacturing, liability laws surrounding the practice are still unclear. For example, imagine if a business provided a computer aided design (CAD) file to a customer to be 3-D printed by a third party. If the 3-D printed item then led to damage or another type of loss, not only would the business that provided the file be liable, but the 3-D printer’s owner and manufacturer could be held liable as well.

For more information on keeping your business safe from costly litigation, contact Hausmann-Johnson Insurance; we can provide you with our comprehensive risk mitigation resources.

Jim Ahearn

Before joining the team at Hausmann-Johnson Insurance in 2008, Jim partnered with HJI as a property and casualty underwriter at Cincinnati Insurance. While he underwrote commercial insurance programs for HJI, he also led a team of claims, audit, and risk control representatives with Cincinnati. This level of involvement gave Jim an intimate knowledge of HJI’s clientele, level of service, and way of doing business. Jim’s experience lent itself well towards a transition to the agency, giving Hausmann-Johnson the expertise to better negotiate for clients and position them at a higher level in the insurance marketplace. Now as Vice President of Risk Management, Jim is involved with HJI’s most complex insurance programs and largest clients. Jim became a shareholder of Hausmann-Johnson in 2011. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Elon University and has pursued post-graduate studies. He is a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and holds the Certified Risk Management (CRM) and Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designations from the National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research.

Opportunities and Risks of 3-D Printing

Jim Ahearn

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