3D Printers Predicted to Drop in Price

While this statement in itself may not be a shock, it is interesting to note that a recent report by Gartner, Inc - the world's leading information technology research and advisory company - predicts that enterprise-class 3D printers will drop under the $2,000 mark by 2016.  I'd love to share the original article with you, but apparently, I would need to pay US$195.00 in order to access it.  So, instead, here is a link to a different (free) article.

An article in TechCrunch (3.29.13) sums up the infantile state of 3D printing nicely,

At this point 3D printing still needs more than just a lower cost of entry. It needs an ecosystem. It needs a retail marketplace where designers can sell professional-level designs rather than just giving them away on Thingiverse. 3D printing needs local retailers and repair shops. It needs to make inroads into lower educational institutions (lower prices will help there). But 3D printing needs to get here. After all, it’s the future.

The original Gartner report also mentions kiosks or print-shop-style services.  Looks like those kids at UC Berkeley are ahead of the curve!