Amazon is considering near-instant deliveries of freshly-manufactured products via 3D printers in delivery trucks.

The idea was among a number of options within patents filed by Amazon, recently published by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The patent applications were filed in late 2013, leading some observers to speculate that Amazon’s plans may have advanced further in that time.

Amazon's ‘Providing Services Related to Item Delivery via 3D Manufacturing on Demand’ patent application describes a system for electronically taking an order, making it using 3D printing or similar manufacturing methods, and then immediately delivering it to the customer.

According to technology website Geekwire.com, the mobile 3D manufacturing and delivery truck is described as one of three possible options. In addition to creating products at a warehouse or pick-up location, “the third delivery method involves producing the MOD (manufactured on demand) item on an available 3D manufacturing apparatus located on a truck that can add the delivery to its present route,” such as a grocery delivery truck - presumably Amazon Fresh, Geekwire.com reports.

The 3D printers would allow drivers to produce products from right outside customers’ homes in the same trucks already used to deliver other products – a change that could affect the industrial distribution process directly in the appliance repair services industry, suggested manufacturing and product-development website Manufacturing.net.

Noting that the technology would still need some refining, it said that hypothetically, a technician could pull up to a house, identify a faulty part, print it or the materials needed for the part, and have it ready for installation shortly afterwards.

It said the bigger benefit was that mobile 3D printing would allow repair services to cut down on stocking parts, or waiting for parts to ship from a warehouse, or risking delays, the goal stated by Amazon: “Time delays between receiving an order and shipping the item to the customer may reduce customer satisfaction and affect revenues generated,” Amazon wrote in the patent applications.

“Accordingly, an electronic marketplace may find it desirable to decrease the amount of warehouse or inventory storage space needed, to reduce the amount of time consumed between receiving an order and delivering the item to the customer, or both.”

The Wall Street Journal suggested that customers could use the service to order replacement car parts and have them delivered in time to have them installed that same day, helping to eliminate ‘out of stock’ days.

Amazon has declined to comment on the status of the plans.