3D Systems' CEO Avi Reichental Believes 3D Printers will be in All Homes!

During my time in NYC for the Inside 3D Printing Conference, I had the opportunity to listen to 3D Systems' CEO Avi Reichental talk about the future of 3D printing. I also had a chance to speak with him very briefly. What he said surprised me quite a bit. He believes that 3D Printers will be in all homes, and high quality printers like the professional models may make their way to homes in the next 2-3 years.

Be sure to read my entire article titled
Question Isn't IF 3D Printing Will Be in All Homes, It's "What room in your house will your 3D printer reside?" - 3D Systems' CEO at http://3dprint.com/2091/3d-systems-printers-in-homes

Let me know what you think.

To be honest, I don't think so. To me, printers are tools that you can't just use without a prior skill set. For example, non artists cannot design or replicate a piece or part they need to print, so they have to go find it online, potentially having to pay for it, or even not finding it at all. Said person cannot simply go "my knob broke, I'll just print one!", said person has to go through the steps most people are too lazy to go through. That's why we have R&D! Said person isn't going to go into a CAD software, load up some polys etc and design a new knob without prior skill and knowledge. For 99% of consumers, besides printing some cool trinkets here or there, 3D printing will do nothing in their lives. As I've always said, why print a shower head or fork when you can just go buy one that's has manufactured specs.

Another example: Almost everyone owns a car or even a few cars, but how many of these people actually know what makes up a car? Or what makes it run? What kind of plastics it uses? Or what parts needs to be built to spec or tolerances? The answer is very little.

I sound like such a downer LOL but believe it or not, most consumers are too lazy to want to know how things work to need a printer in their lives.

This is all my opinion though :)

It's cool to dream BIG, but to think everyone is going to own a printer is a stretch.

meo i cant agree more.

Since even 2D printers aren't present in all homes... meh, not going to happen.
I like to make things and tinker with designs, and even I would be hard pressed to justify having a 3D printer for simple household use.
I could see something like a 3D printing corner shop in most places though.

Yeah, not going to happen.

Lets just say they'll be in 100% of the homes of people who will buy a 3d printer eventually :)