When I first started writing and editing
about rapid prototyping way back when – one of the major benefits of using the
tech for prototyping applications (which, incidentally, does still stand today)
was time-to-market. That’s to say getting a successful product to market first
and maximizing the business returns of doing so. I remember writing about the
impact of being first and the ‘me-too’ products that followed. There were often
debates about whether being first or being an ‘improved me too’ product was
best. Obviously you had to factor in branding and marketing and the quality of
the product.
It has struck me recently that this is
where 3D printing actually is now – with the printers themselves and the
services and ancillary products springing up around the sector too. There are really
rather a lot of them now. And it probably goes without saying that not all of
them can survive. I’d say we are not too far off saturation point either – the
pinnacle of the hype cycle, and we surely must be there or there about, has
seen hoards of individuals and small start-ups create original and
not-so-original 3D printing business models around the potential, the reality,
and at least some of them, the hype. As the trough of disillusionment beckons,
we are likely to get clearer visibility on the companies that will be in this
for the long haul and the many more that won’t survive and will move on to
bubbles new.
It is even getting quite difficult to
categorise the genres of the business as they grow and/or emerge — I used to be
able to differentiate really easily — hardware, software, service and
materials. With some companies doing more than one thing, still easy. Now,
though, there are hardware manufacturers that offer services; services that
resell hardware; services within services; 3D Content repositories — some with
3D printing services or affiliated to them others without; as of today there are
also services that offer APIs; and, of course, one or two that try to do it all
– not quite sure what I’m going to call them.
It’s getting messier and messier. I’m not a
fan of mess, generally, but this is all quite good fun as I try to figure it
all out and label everything in an appropriate and understandable way — mostly
for me, which will maybe help you!?
I’ve also just been made aware of another,
let’s call it service, launching this month (no specific date). Been asked to hold off on covering it
for a day or two, but news to follow early next week.
The upshot is that 3D printing is exciting,
it offers much and will continue to do so, I believe. The companies that try to
do business around it however, will need to be flexible and accommodating to
survive the ups and the downs as they happen.