Here is some info on the theory of how big 3D printing could get:

Steve Sammartino, a digital entrepreneur, business adviser and venture capitalist estimates the potential of 3D printing reaching as high as that of the internet. In fact, in an article published by ABC News in Australia, Sammartino made the prediction that 3D printing will have an even larger economic impact than the internet had. Sammartino explained:

“It’s just a little bit like the internet. When it arrived we thought, ‘Oh, that may be interesting for media’, but as we’ve seen it’s transformed every type of business no matter what industry. The internet is an important part of our business, and 3D printing, while we can’t see exactly how that might manifest itself, there’s no doubt that it’ll change everything we do from just simple operations and the spaces we work in and in unforeseeable ways it’ll impact, I think, most businesses.”

Some numbers…

In the United States, the manufacturing sector generates somewhere around 2 trillion dollars each year. On a global scale, roundabout 11.5 trillion dollars (sic) are generated. If 3D printing becomes a part in all of manufacturing, this is a big number. But game changer 3D printing will not only affect the manufacturing sector in the future. The 3D printing industry is in an exponential growth. While traditional businesses may try to hinder the development in all the ways they can, we can’t see where it will end – yet.

In ten years, we´ll know if Sammartinos claims are a bold statement or insightful vision.

We will see but they might just be right!  We hope you enjoyed this excerpt and can read more below.

thanks to Alexander Klarmann from all3dp.com for the insightful article

thanks to HeatSync Labs for the pic