3D Printing Industry To Triple In Four Years To $21 Billion (computerworld.com)

Year-over-year the 3D printing industry has grown by as much as 30%. Now, it's set to triple in revenue over the next four years, according to a new report. For comparison, this year the industry will reach nearly $7.3 billion, and by 2020, it is expected to reach nearly $21 billion. Published by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and the United Parcel Service (UPS), the study, called "3D Printing: The Next Revolution in Industrial Manufacturing," revealed that the two biggest industries representing a combined 40% of the growth are consumer electronics and automotive. Medical devices will represent about 15% of the growth. North America and Europe will account for more than 68% of the 3D printing market revenue, while the Asia Pacific market will account for about 27% of sales. Here's an impressive stat: 3D printing represents only 0.04% of the global manufacturing market right now. However, if 3D printing captures 5% of global manufacturing capacity, which researcher firm Wohlers Associates believes it will, the industry would be worth a staggering $640 billion. "This is a market ripe for disruption," the report said. "Technology adopters that move beyond prototyping to use 3D printing in supporting and streamlining production can achieve new manufacturing efficiencies. Plus, there is an enormous opportunity for companies that get it right."

Comments

Until it cuts into profits, that is

[Opportunist]

No later than when people start printing spare parts for their car we'll see this whole development grind to a halt. Car manufacturers make a fortune by selling plastic parts costing pennies for double digit dollar amounts. They will not allow you to take that from them.

And they have shown before that they're not above buying laws that protect their business.

Re:Still awaiting consumer usage.

[serviscope_minor]

I agree. I think 3D printing is best left to professional print shops. Just send your design files, and they'll send the object back. That way you get much higher quality and lower prices.

As someone who started out using a 3D printer at my local hackspace and who owns one, I disagree strongly. 3D print shops get incredibly expensive very very fast compared to having your own. You can get surprisingly good quality out of even a low end printer, but one of the key points is that having your own one lowers the friction involved in the process. When consumables cost 25 quid per kilo from a highstreet shop in London, you don't have to worry about botching a print or two or getting the design worng and iterating.