14 DAY TRIAL // The 3D printing industry was a low-key field until a couple of years ago, then scientists finally figured out how to make it a consumer-viable technology, so now analysts are keeping an eye on it.
That means that there are people looking at how much money changed hands because of it, and how much more will change hands over the next decade or so.
Market research firm Canalys didn't look quite so far into the future, but it did make a prediction for the next five years.
Naturally, the forecast could prove to be nothing but hot air, since currents on the tech industry can change like the wind.
Still, there is some foundation for them. Canalys did, after all, look at previous years and the rate of growth of the 3D printing market.
Basically, 3D printer sales, materials and associated services will reach $16.2/€11.75 billion by 2018.
That's a 45.7% rise from 2013. For 2014, the market is expected to reach $3.8 / €2.76 billion.
As one might have already guessed, printing-to-order services will bring in most of the cash in the short term. After that, we imagine that the manufacturing industry will start to catch up, especially now that carbon nanotube and carbon fiber 3D printing has been figured out.