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[joealarson]

10 years? Without a doubt they will be as ubiquitous as tablesaws. Maybe not as present as 2D printers, but without a doubt they will be in many more people's garages. And hopefully cheaper to run.

[GameProps]

I would like to see a 6-axis 3D printer one of these days, it's already been done with a CNC machine, why not a 3D printer yet.

[bralax]

I believe that at that time we will have a wall panel next to our closet and on it we will put in the outfit we want to wear for the day and a printer inside the closet will make the clothes from scratch in a minute and at the end of the day you just throw out the clothes you wore that day and the device will take it apart for use again in the future.

[mikethebomber]

One word: Cyborgs

[JediJosh]

Hopefully replacing the need for people to go get everything at stores and custom made to them.

[mwu]

The commercial 3D printing industry will surely outpace the at home 3D printing industry. Advanced tech costs. Home printers will always be around and they will improve. Makers will have the ability to create some amazing things off of a single print with multiple materials. However commercially, I expect 3D printing will be integrated into many industries. Sometimes as rapid prototyping tools, but I expect 3D printers to be used for more traditional manufacturing more frequently as well in the future.

Amazon took a Walmart type shopping experience online and then distributed it (they use dropship facilities across the world to be able to ship shorter distances and deliver faster). I expect the same thing will be done with manufacturing (to an extent) -- possibly by Amazon again.

I also foresee 3D printing becoming integral to the classroom for sciences and probably integral to a school in general for teaching materials.

[LEAL615]

contact lenses, car parts, jewelry, toys, art.

[GOC]

Q: What do you think we will be 3D printing in 10 years?

A: This question is really broad, because the term 'everything' fits it so well. I think by 2024 food printing/extrusion will be a regular thing. People are lazy and tend to want great things with little effort & to do it without having to leave the house. Once food printing gets refined I think 'little Suzy's' birthday cake is going to frosted and decorated by a machine. Then there's the fact that the microwave has been a key utensil in just about everyone's home. I believe once an effective method develops for printing 'hot' food items the world will have a new key utensil for home cooking (the lazy way).

[TeamJamesDean]

I like to be realistic about these things and so I often miss the boat when it comes to the future of technology. But in this case I think the sky is the limit. The technology has improved so quickly and the prices have dropped so dramatically that it is completely within reason that many homes will have this technology in the next 5-10 years. The software is getting better and the ability to scan and print in a single machine makes it possible for novices to make simple objects with little knowledge. I think further advancement in materials and technology and products for printing that we will see a true consumer factory at home possible.

[Des]

Bows and arrows as we will need to hunt for our food once again when the world crashes to pieces as it is going now!
Parts to repair our wind generators to make the power we need to run our 3d printers!

Really though, as fast as the world is changing and new stuff is developed there is no telling what we will be building and needing in 10 years!
We may be printing our own cell phones, tires for our cars, suits for space travel, who knows what the future holds?

As better 3D printers and filaments emerge and printers get larger and faster we may be printing our own wind generators and solar panels, using lead and lead oxides to print our own lead acid batteries etc... to power our own homes as needed.