Price cuts One of the things holding back 3D printing from wider use is the price. But volume production has a way of bringing prices down. The involvement of a big hardware maker such as Canon , Hewlett-Packard , or Xerox would make a big difference. Those companies ought to be familiar enough with the business model. Like the mainstream printer industry, prices barely cover the cost of the unit.
Manufacturers make their money selling the consumables, and their cost is falling.
There's going to be a very competitive market in supplying this type of material. There is a lot about 3D printing that even captures the imagination of those of us who weren't Star Trek fans. It may well capture the attention of industry because there could well be a fortune in mass customization. Give the customers what they want. Rick Overton is a contributing writer for Business 2.0 .