3D Printing: A Money Goldmine?

28 April 2011.

Since 2003 3D printers have been on the rise, and over time, their costs declined. The technology is a form of additive manufacturing where 3D objects are created – and are more affordable and user friendly than other additive manufacturing technologies.

28 April 2011.

Since 2003 3D printers have been on the rise, and over time, their costs declined. The technology is a form of additive manufacturing where 3D objects are created – and are more affordable and user friendly than other additive manufacturing technologies.

The products allow developers to print parts and assemblies made from several materials with different properties in a single process. The technology is used in jewellery, footware, industrial design, architecture, engineering and construction and aerospace. And it’s set to become the next trillion dollar industry in a report from Business Insider.

Everyone is talking about the technology, but maybe not enough to realize what a sensation it could become. 3D printing is shifting from being used primarily for rapid prototyping to manufacturing. The technology could be simplified so that anyone with a 3D printer can prefabricate their own shoes from the comfort of their living room.

Far fetched? Only as much as the idea of the PC in the 70s. But even if it doesn’t work out that way, 3D printing will still become a huge industry because of its higher efficiency than traditional manufacturing that creates 90 percent waste.

Here are the top 10 players in the 3D printing industry today. Care to join these potential trillionaires?

1.      3D Systems: Tackling the customer market as well as the business market.

2.      Autodesk: Making software used in industrial design, and is a leader in software for 3D printing.

3.      Desktop Factory: Making sub-$5,000 3D printers. Unfortunately the company failed, and tanked.

4.      Makerbot Industries: Building a cheap, basic 3D printers starting at $1,299.

5.      Shapeways: Allowing anyone upload their design to the site and order prints, or set up a store so that other people   can buy from them.

6.      Bespoke Innovations: Making customized prosthetics.

7.      Sweet Onion Creations: Helping architectural firms and other companies prototype quickly with 3D printing.

8.      Freedom of Creation: Using 3D printing for wacky products.

9.      Contour Crafting: Building tractor-trailer-like 3D printers to take on construction sites.

10.    HP and Google: Build 3D printers  and offering free online 3D software called Sketchup

Fabricate Yourself Today

Intruiged and want to give the technology a test drive for yourself? Interactive Fabrication set out on a project to allow conference attendees to Fabricate Yourself as small 3D models using Microsof Kinect. The software captures an depth image and processes it into a mesh STL file and displays it onscreen in real time. The STL files were then printed using a Dimension uPrint 3D printer from Stratasys.

Find out more about Fabricate Yourself here.

 Liz Zuliani

EconomyWatch.com