Look to the Future: 3D printers in homes or available to use in stores?

[Eddie]

What is everyone's opinions on how people will be using 3D printers in the future (lets say 5-10 years from now). Will the majority of us have our own printers in our homes, or will we mostly go to a local store such as Stables, the grocery store, post office etc and use printers that are available for a nominal fee there?

I'm starting to lean toward the public "in-store" printers. What do you guys think?

Ed

[redrick]

5-10 years is an eternity now-a-days when talking technology. In my opinion within 2-3 years we will begin to find some pretty high quality printers in stores like Staples, Home depot, Lowes, and Walmart. These will be top of the line $10k+ printers, and in 2 years they will have a lot more capabilities than they do now. On the other hand I also think that within 5-6 years those same printers will be able to be purchased for a couple grand and installed within homes. In 10 years those same printers will be 20-30 times more powerful, and their utility will be staggering. People underestimate how far we will come by 2023. I honestly think that by then we will be able to print out with dozens of different materials in one machine.

The future will look crazy

[EvaMMF]

its becoming part of the national education curriculum in the UK so lots of schools are buying them, and then as kids get into it they will become more common in households. in terms of a timescale...hmm not sure.

[The_Critter]

its becoming part of the national education curriculum in the UK so lots of schools are buying them, and then as kids get into it they will become more common in households. in terms of a timescale...hmm not sure.

That's awesome that they are bringing printers to schools in the UK. Wish they were doing the same in the U.S.

Are there classes for kids on how to use them?

[MyManJan]

My guess is that we will initially see them coming to stores like Office Depot, and then after a couple years they will be cheap enough and productive enough that the average household will have one in their office.

Just my guess

[TRAC3DPrinting]

That's awesome that they are bringing printers to schools in the UK. Wish they were doing the same in the U.S.

Are there classes for kids on how to use them?

I am offering "incursion" workshops to schools in Australia, to teach students about 3D printing. I also run teacher PD workshops. I expect that there will be people offering the same in the US and elsewhere. But you know, if you are happy to pay travel and accommodation anything is possible!

[Riskerbus]

I think it's great that schools are getting in on 3D Printing. More hands on work with future tech is what we need.

[urbanmyth]

Currently there is not enough demand for 3d printers in individual homes. However, in the coming few years I foresee people beginning to print all kinds of things. Once the printers get more advanced, with the ability to print in multiple types of filament at once (metal, plastic, wood, ceramic all at once), I think more and more people will begin getting them for their homes.

[DerekPeterson]

Currently there is not enough demand for 3d printers in individual homes. However, in the coming few years I foresee people beginning to print all kinds of things. Once the printers get more advanced, with the ability to print in multiple types of filament at once (metal, plastic, wood, ceramic all at once), I think more and more people will begin getting them for their homes.

I don't know if I agree that there isn't enough demand in homes for 3D printers. I know I have a demand for it, as do many of my relatives and friends. 3D printers may not be a "NEED" but they are definitely a "WANT" among a lot of people: even those that have never heard of one.

Derek

[Lindros_bigE]

It seems pretty obvious the way this is going to turn out.

In the next 1-2 yrs, we will begin seeing 3D Printing come to retail stores like Walmart, etc. A few nerds and people that like gadgets will get printers in their homes. However, most of the "in-home" printers today are not really all that great when it comes to printing everyday items. In store printers will be able to print in just about any material possible, while most at home printers are limited to plastic.

I think in the next 3-5 years we will begin seeing affordable printers that print in multiple filament types. When this happens, more and more people will begin purchasing printers for their own homes.

So my guess is retail first, and then in homes (at least on a broad scale).