The Next Trillion Dollar Industry Emerging: 3D Printing

Posted by Brittany Stepniak - Friday, March 9th, 2012

3D printing is on its way to making a huge impact on the entire world economy. If you haven't heard of it, no worries. However, you may want to read a bit more about it now as it is one of the most innovative, “cutting edge” technologies on its way becoming the next big business.

According to the Market Oracle, this is the 21st century's laser printer with the the power to forever alter industries in the same manner that desktop publishing changed the print industry during the 1980s.

Already, Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) is offering the DesignJet Color 3D printer for around $20K.

As with all new technologies, the 3D printer will be released to the public in more affordable versions.

For example, MakerBot sells a Replicator for $1,749. Buyers can then download free modeling software (i.e. Sketchup or TinkerCAD) and print their own designs as they wish.

Another similar device created by 3D Systems (NYSE: DDD), the Cube, can be purchased for $1,299. The Cube's related website, Cubify.com, is set-up with “the simplicity of a coloring book with robust digital resources.”

CEO of 3D Systems, Abraham N. Reichental, reported that his company has employed 1,000 workers already with nearly 1,000 patents underway as well.

As the idea of 3D printing inches its way into the mainstream media, people will have the opportunity to customize an extremely wide range of goods. This will open up a whole new world for creative and imaginative inventors.

When that happens creativity has the potential to increase exponentially.

There will be no more spending thousands of dollars to have a specialty firm make a mold before you can even build the prototype.

When one considers the realm of possibilities involved with 3D printing, those possibilities seem infinite.

Now you know why the top brass at the Smithsonian just gave 3D printing their stamp of approval.

You see, the world's largest museum boasts more than 137 million objects. But only a few remain on display at any point in time.

With 3D printing, officials can scan originals with special software. Then they can "print" replicas they can loan to other museums.

At the very least, the Smithsonian can afford to make digital 3D images of its vast collection it can then store for later access.

Big-name aerospace companies are also catching on to this growing trend. The European aerospace “giant” EADS uses the 3D technology in order to create specialty aircraft parts.

Dentists can make up to 450 dental crowns in one day with this new technology, compared with about 12 for most offices using conventional crown-creating systems.

Lest we forget about the world of music...instrument makers even use 3D printing. EOS “used a specialty compound to make parts for a violin” just last year.

With 3Ds omnipotence in such a wide-variety of industries, there's no doubt that this is the “nest big thing” for the future of manufacturing.

Analyst and experts think it's fair to assume we're dealing with a trillion dollar industry here. That's right, 3D printing could be worth a cool trillion in the next ten years.

Mathematically, this prediction makes perfect sense:

The global economy measures about $60 trillion. Of that, manufacturing accounts for 17%, or $10.2 trillion.

If 3D printing captures just 10% of the sector that would total just over $1 trillion.

That's why I say we will see lots of opportunities to invest directly in this technology, or in firms using it to improve profit margins.

Investors, listen up: if you're looking for your next move, you'd be wise to keep you eyes on 3D printing companies before it really explodes.

For more information on the "3D Printing Revolution", check out this TED Talk.