What Field (Market) Will be affected the Most by 3D Printing

Which of the following categories will see the most change via 3D Printing, and why?

- Art
- Medicine/Health
- Toys
- Fashion
- Home Goods
- Education

In my opinion I think Education and Medicine will ultimately see the biggest changes. It will take a few years for a major impact in the health/medicine fields, but overall it will see the greatest changes. Lives will be saved, not by the hundreds or thousands, but by the millions.

With Education I see a 3D Printer in basically ever classroom Grades 3rd and higher within 5-6 years time. As prices decrease even more I could see a One 3D Printer per child initiative launched.

Opinions?

This question depends on what time period we are looking at.

If we are looking at the next 2-3 years, it would be Toys, Education and Art.
If we are looking at the next 5-10 years, it will be Fashion.
If we are looking at beyond 10 years, Iit will be Home Goods and Medicine/Health.

Today: Jewelry, Medical/Dental, Small run manufacturing
Tomorrow: Art, Toys, Home goods
10 years from now: Shipping. Some items will no longer be stocked by stores. They'll be 3D printed in homes or in stores, radically reducing shipping and stocking costs.

Education is happening right now. We need more of these in the schools. The whole maker movement is boosting science, engineering and technology education.

Caps for teeth in the dentist office while you wait, bone replacements made from you MRI scan. This will be a huge benefit for health care and consumers.

Not sure how long before we are actually printing viable replacement parts in the home. We have a ways to go with the technology before we get there.

My mother said her tooth was printed in the dental office while she waited. She either had a tooth implant or root canal, not sure.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by crowbar

My mother said her tooth was printed in the dental office while she waited. She either had a tooth implant or root canal, not sure.

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Implant. A root canal is just where they drill into the tooth, then remove the root and fill in the space with dental resin. I don't see any way a 3D printer would be at all useful for that.

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Originally Posted by Compro01

Implant. A root canal is just where they drill into the tooth, then remove the root and fill in the space with dental resin. I don't see any way a 3D printer would be at all useful for that.

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I believe some offices are 3D printing temporary crowns, which sit over the tooth after a root canal until a permanent crown arrives.

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Originally Posted by Mike

I believe some offices are 3D printing temporary crowns, which sit over the tooth after a root canal until a permanent crown arrives.

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Ah. The one root canal I've needed didn't use a crown.

As a high school tech teacher in the uk teaching 3Dprinting to teenagers education will be revolutionised by this. Give kids the freedom and tools and they have no limits. It's extremely powerful in the classroom!!