IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - September 2015 - 75

3D printing has now been applied to diverse fields
including space [42], jewelry [11], footwear, industrial
design, medicine, architecture, engineering, automotive,
aerospace, medicine, education, civil engineering [23],
and even the food we eat [12].
The market forecast and growth potential for 3D
printing are impressive, and the sector is currently
exceeding its growth and profit forecasts. A Forbes [7]
compilation of 3D growth forecasts by analysts predict
tremendous growth. Canalys foresees the global 3D
printing market will grow from US$2.5 billion in 2013 to
US$16.2 billion by 2018. Wells Fargo predicts 3D printers will grow from a US$288 million market in 2012 to
US$5.7 billion in 2017. IBISWorld predicts that the U.S.
market for 3D printer related manufacturing would be
US$1.4 billion in 2014 [7].
With the growing interest in consumer grade 3D printing around the globe, 3D printing technology, not dissimilar to the high-tech industry, is extremely competitive
and potentially disruptive to traditional manufacturing
processes [29]. We are witnessing a fierce global rivalry
for 3D printing accomplishments, products, and market
share. For example, new records are being set for the
smallest printed object, the strongest material, biggest
house, most networked 3D printers, and much more.
Research and government policies will need to respond
accordingly to this challenge considering aspects such as
intellectual property, standards, and skills [13]. 3D printing will eventually render a number of jobs obsolete once
the fundamental problem of printing speed is overcome.
There has been tremendous growth in consumer 3D
printing due to the maker movement and the multitude of
3D open-source printing frameworks. Similar to the way
that the open-source design paradigm drove down the
cost of software to the point that it is accessible to most
people [11]. The rise of open-source 3D printing hardware
and technical know-how is driving down the cost of doing
experimental science and prototyping, and opens opportunities for 3D printing to everyday consumers.
The diffusion of consumer-grade 3D printing products
is creating a new genre of entrepreneurs, and this will
require new skills and roles outside traditional manufacturing domains, such as product designers, engineers,
logisticians, and marketing experts. It is imperative that
global educational curricula and labor markets develop
comprehensive plans to address these challenges [20].
Another avenue that will require more advanced skill sets
is complex integrated electronic systems printing, which
require new advanced materials to develop goods such
as electronics, nanotechnologies, graphene, and complex
genetically engineered bio-materials.
This article highlights some of the potential challenges that lie ahead, along with the tremendous benefits
bought about by entry-level 3D printing.

september 2015

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3D Printing Themes
We have conducted a review of literature, using both
peer-reviewed articles and Internet-related sources, such
as http://3dprintingindustry.com. We have identified five
main themes driving market segments within the 3D
printing arena that are significantly impacting the growth
and adoption of low-end 3D printing. The five segments
include printers (i.e., the hardware), software, scanners,
3D ink (i.e., materials), and marketplaces (Figure 1).
Current literature in the field discusses both the "here
and now" and also futuristic predictions of how consumers will interact with technology in the future. Potstada
and Zybura's [31] research reveals how consumers can
digitally select, customize, and print electronics such as
mobile phones at home, and highlights how the digital

3D printing will eventually render
a number of jobs obsolete, once the
fundamental problem of printing
speed is overcome.

fabrication will impact society in 20 years The wide array
of technology is providing tremendous opportunities for
consumers to use home-based desktop 3D printers.
All variants of 3D printing technology can produce
complex objects directly from digital files called computer aided design (CAD) files. In the past, this type of
technology was only available to commercial entities
to produce concept prototypes before the production
process. Now with the introduction of low-cost desktop
3D printers, such as the RepRap, Cubify, PrintrBot, and
Fab@Home, a larger user base is able to experience
desktop manufacturing platforms, enabling them to produce highly customized products for personal use and
sale, via Internet marketplaces [21].
One of the key areas in which 3D printing is making
an impact is in the educational field. Medical education
is being transformed by the use of 3D printing [31]. It is
also being used in high schools to teach science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) concepts
[19]. For example, 3D printing is used extensively in
technology and manufacturing courses [8].

3D Printers
Some of the common 3D printing technologies include
stereolithography (SLA), selective laser sintering (SLS),
fused deposition modeling (FDM), and multi-jet modeling
(MJM) [23]. There are two approaches being deployed to

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - September 2015