text: 3D printing will significantly change the way many products enter the market. The most common 3D printing application today is small plastic parts. This is still a slow and expensive process, and as the technology matures, it should become cheaper and faster. In addition, more advanced machines that can print complex parts of multiple materials, such as printing metal, will appear. There are even companies that create machines to make 3D printed food. By 2030, we may see three levels of 3D printing:
  Some consumers will have cheap, easy-to-use 3D printers that allow them to print small plastic parts based on licensed 3D models purchased online. This will apply to replacement parts for household appliances, plastic casings for mobile phones or children’s toys.