3D Printing is a seemingly futuristic technology in which awareness is slowly increasing. People think it is something out of movies and is only fictional, such as in the new Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol movie, Tom Cruise wears a 3D printed face mask to imitate someone and sneak into the enemy’s headquarters. Similar to this:

However, this technology is very real. As Olivia Joe has written in her blog, it is in the introductory phase of its product life cycle. For the most part, awareness is only in the corporate world, but within the next few years, it should increase dramatically for consumers. Prices have decreased significantly and 3D printers can now be bought for $500.

I think 3D printing is on the verge of penetrating the growth stage in a BIG way. I agree with Olivia that there is a huge potential to expand the target market by communicating and advertising to average consumers. With an effective ad-campaign, it could push the product over the edge and revolutionize the market.

The possibilities are truly ENDLESS. From mimicking a face, to fixing a fence post, to building toys, to building a trophy for a competition… the 3D printer is capable of anything.

Although Olivia talked about the beneficial products that can be made, there is “another side of the coin.”

In recent months, a 3D-printed gun – capable of firing real bullets – was created by printing parts and assembling them together. This is a serious safety concern, as gun control will be near impossible. This period in time is especially crucial, as there have been numerous tragedies involving shootings in the past few years. This video displays how the gun was assembled:

Consumers may not be ready for 3D printing, but the technology is already upon us.