2014 3D Printing Predictions - Let's Hear Them

[RedSox2013]

I thought it would be fun to start a thread so that over the next week or so we could all give out 3D Printing predictions for the coming year. This way a year from now we can review this thread and see how accurate we all were. 2013 has been a huge year for the industry, but I am willing to bet that 2014 will be twice as big. Here are a few of my predictions:



#1 HP will enter the 3D Printing industry in a big way with a 3D Printer which caters towards consumers rather than manufacturers. This introduction from HP will mean a lot of new eyeballs on the industry, and lots of new customers.

#2 Plastic filament prices will decrease by 30% on average

#3 3D Metal Printers will finally begin to get cheap enough that consumers like you and I will be considering one for a purchase.

#4 A large company like Google, Microsoft, Apple, IBM or Intel will enter the 3D Printing market in a big way with some sort of acquisition. Perhaps the acquisition will be one of the big boys, Stratasys, or 3D Systems, but it's more likely to be one of the new comers in the industry like VoxelJet.

#5 50+% of all high schools in the United States has at least one 3D Printer in it, with classes being taught utilizing that printer.

#6 There will be at least 1 more extremely controversial item printed, which will get just as much, if not more attention, as the original 3D Printed gun earlier this year. New laws will be passed on a national level related to 3D Printing guns.

#7 There will be a major lawsuit involving patents and 3D Printing, which will get national attention.