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"Everyone's now aware of 3D printing - they've read about it in the papers, on blogs or seen it on TV. The mentality now seems to be that, in the future, we'll be able to download our products or make them ourselves with CAD programs, apps and 3D scanners, then just print them out, either at home, or in localised print shops. Which in turn will supposedly decentralize manufacturing, bringing it back to the West. But like the cupcake, Daft Punk's latest album, or goji berries, 3D printing is severely overhyped - and I should know, because it's what I do for a living."

"Much attention has been paid to 3D Printing lately, with new companies developing cheaper and more efficient consumer models that have wowed the tech community. They herald 3D Printing as a revolutionary and disruptive technology, but how will these printers truly affect our society? Beyond an initial novelty, 3D Printing could have a game-changing impact on consumer culture, copyright and patent law, and even the very concept of scarcity on which our economy is based. From at-home repairs to new businesses, from medical to ecological developments, 3D Printing has an undeniably wide range of possibilities which could profoundly change our world."

"After purchasing 3D sugar printing startup The Sugar Lab, 3D Systems is bringing a 3D food printer to the consumer market." #3DPrinters are looking more and more like like a #StarTrek replicator. Now printing food http://m.cnet.com.au/3d-systems-launches-worlds-first-kitchen-ready-3d-food-printer-339346394.htm #ozscied

"3D printing has slowly started to get popular in use in the industry, by the hobbyists and ordinary individuals in their homes. If you can design it, the 3D printer can build it. However, we are still in the early stage of owning and using 3D printer. So, what is the length of time before it will become mainstream like the PC? The infographic will show when will every American own a 3D printer and how it affects the profit of those who are selling consumer objects and more."

"The 3D printing world has been trying to come into the home for a very long time. It has been hindered by high costs and unnecessary complexity. Strooder is a product that looks to accelerate the adoption of 3D printing in the home by reducing the cost of filament in a simple and safe way. Only with the reduced costs of filament can home 3D printing become a widespread reality."

"Most desktop 3D printers aren't small or portable, but a new LumiFold claims to be both - a compact and affordable crowdfunded 3D printer available for $400 (£247). 3D printers, such as the Makerbot and Ultimaker cost upwards of $1,000 and operate similar to inkjet printers laying down each layer by squirting a polymer down on the object from a nozzle, the LumiFold 3D prints using light."

"Last fall, Ars reported on the opening of a Southern California shop that was selling a $600 3D printer. The brick-and-mortar store seemed to bring the total number of 3D printer retail stores in America (and possibly the world) to two. For these printers to truly come into the mainstream, however, manufacturers need to first make it easy for consumers to buy them. That goal came one step closer to realization in early May 2013, when office supply retailer Staples announced that it would be selling a $1,300 printer from 3D Systems, making it the first major retailer to do so."

"The first truly consumer 3D printer should be incredibly intuitive, easy to own, and seamless by design....And That's Why We Made The Micro It is the most affordable 3D printer that can be used right out of the box.  Perfect for beginners and experts alike, just plug in the printer, download or create models, hit print, and watch your custom creations form right before your eyes."

"The cute, little, Micro 3D printer appears to be a very hot commodity. Touting it as "the first truly consumer 3D printer," the team behind The Micro, M3D, has worked to design an easy-to-use, low-cost, 7-inch tall printer. The device can print smaller items, such as a vase, custom cookie cutters, or cat toys. The Micro can auto-level and auto-calibrate and will also work with open-source software for more advanced users."

"The MakerBot Replicator™ is the ultimate personal 3D printer, with dual extrusion (2-color printing)--and a bigger printing footprint, giving you the superpower to print things BIG! Assembled in Brooklyn by skilled technicians, the MakerBot Replicator™ is ready within minutes to start printing right out of the box. "

LIX pen is the smallest 3D printing pen of the world. It is small in size and light in weight and the power consumption is relatively small. It just works by drawing minimal power from any ordinary laptop.

"The explosion in 3D printing technology is now empowering those engaged in materials science research, education and commercialisation to do things not previously possible. These advances will have a staggering impact - they will accelerate the thought-to-thing process, delivering practical solutions sooner, but they'll also empower scientists to make unprecedented fundamental advances in science."

"It's not easy being a small business in the current manufacturing environment. The face of manufacturing is changing, and businesses are eager for technological advances that could give them a competitive advantage. Maybe 3D printing can help."

"You might be surprised to find out 3D printers have been around since the mid-1980s, but the devices themselves and the material they consumed were so expensive (with small, simple structures costing hundreds of dollars) that the idea of a consumer-level 3D printer was ludicrous. Over the past couple of decades, though, the cost of these consumer level printers has plummeted from more than US$110,000 to as low as US$350."

Free 3D design web app. Tinkercad is the easiest way to do and learn 3D design on the web. Join the buzzing community and discover 3D printing

There is a revolution upon us in the Maker community. Use of computer-controlled construction methods, such as CNC machines, laser cutters, and 3D printers is on the rise and the cost to build these machines from scratch or from a kit continues to come down towards the point where your average household will soon be able to readily download and print objects the same way we download and print off a document. A major jump in this trend comes from the creator of the Solidoodle.

"But what if we could take all of those bruised and damaged apples and turn them all into "perfect apples" - perfect size, perfect color, perfect crunch when we bite into them, and the perfect sweet juicy flavor and aroma that makes our mouth water every time we think about them. This is the promise of food printer technology as we move from simply printing ink on paper, to 3D printing of parts and objects, to next generation food printers. These aren't the artificial food devices that science fiction movies have been promising. Instead, they are devices with the very real potential for turning real apples into perfect apples. But this is only scratching the surface."

"Imagine if you could print objects just by thinking about them. Camila Ruz visits one company to see whether this is far-fetched dream or a real possibility."

"Synthetic material capable of performing some of the functions of living cells has been built using a specially modified 3D prototype printer. Developed by researchers at Oxford University, the new materials, called 'droplet networks' could eventually be used to replace damaged human tissue or deliver drugs to specific locations."

"3D printing is now taken seriously by manufacturers as an alternative to cutting, bending, pressing and moulding things. It is also a popular hobby among those of a geeky disposition. What it has not been used for so far is to help people in poor countries improve their everyday lives."