Gartner: 3D Printer Shipments To Reach 217,000 By 2015

According to report issued Monday by Gartner, "Worldwide shipments of 3D printers (3DPs) will reach 217,350 units in 2015, up from 108,151 in 2014."

The report forecasted that "3D printer shipments will more than double every year between 2015 and 2018, by which time worldwide shipments are forecast to reach more than 2.3 million."

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The report also indicated that ease-of-use will drive the consumer market. "While the ecosystem remains complex, manufacturers of entry-level material extrusion printers are incorporating relatively simple "plug-and-print" capability. Features such as locked-in materials, often available only in vendor-specific cartridges as with 2D printers, maximize the likelihood the materials will work well."

The firm’s press release noted that "automated bed leveling and heated build chambers also facilitate simpler set-up and operation, making it easier for the consumer to "hit print" and successfully produce a 3D item. As a result, 10 percent of the 3D printers costing less than $1,000 will have plug-and-print capability by 2016."