An editorial read from the Channel archive, kept in the relaunch for its coverage of marketplaces.
It's no surprise that the 3D printing market is growing - to people who have never heard of it before, it sounds like magic! But where is it growing? It turns out that the cheaper, made-for-consumer end of the spectrum only accounts for 5% of this growing market. The rest is a mix of business-to-business transactions of industrial-sized 3D printers and high-tech finished goods. So, great, now we still know that the 3D printing market is huge . What does this mean? Is this a threat to existing manufacturers or is this an opportunity? Well, that depends. For many, 3D printing is way to manufacture complicated parts while saving money, time, and materials. BMW factories already 3D print custom tools to make production in general easier. And what is the situation with China - does 3D printing signify the end of their era of control over manufacturing? Not necessarily. Many 3D printers are already in use in factories throughout the country. "Some of the world’s largest 3D printers can be found in China, including a 12-metre-long machine used to print titanium wing parts and fuselage frames for short-haul airliners." How could your business use 3D printing to your advantage? What are your competitors doing with this technology that you could be doing better - and how are your customers affected? For more information, visit HowTo3DPrintMoney.com or read the book by industry experts Bill Decker and Josh Jacobson!