The world has started to speak about a possible new revolution that would change radically the way in which the entire economic system will be managed: Additive Manufacturing (AM), together with the other enabling technologies of the Industry 4.0, has the potential ability to change the traditional concepts of manufacturing and the way in which the production is managed throughout its supply chain. This book, divided in four chapters analyzes the changes that the Industry 4.0 is making to the whole economic system focusing on the manufacturing technology of Additive Manufacturing and analyzing the Italian economic context of reference, in the wood-furniture manufacturing sector. It considers the supply side, that is the propensity of businesses to use 3D printers in the prototyping and subsequent production phase and the role of Fab Labs as mediators for the use of the technology between private consumers and businesses; the demand side and therefore Italian consumers knowledge of AM, 3D printing technologies and Fabrication Laboratories (Fab Labs), their perceptions about products made using 3D printers, their propensity to buy products made with these technologies and to use these ones to create their one products. Finally it considers also environmental aspects related to the "indoor air quality" that could be polluted by 3D printers due to the melting techniques of materials they use.

Laura Bravi is Research Fellow at the University of Urbino Carlo Bo where she is teaching assistant in Total Quality Management. She is author of several publications and reviewer for international journals.

Federica Murmura is Professor in Total Quality Management at the Department of Economics, Society, Politics, University of Urbino Carlo Bo. Her main research interests concern Management Quality Systems and consumer behaviour. She is coordinator in various research projects, author of several publications and reviewer for international journals.