Ten challenges in 3D printing

Three dimensional printing has gained considerable interest lately due to the proliferation of inexpensive devices as well as open source software that drive those devices. Public interest is often followed by media coverage that tends to sensationalize technology. Based on popular articles, the public may create the impression that 3D printing is the Holy Grail; we are going to print everything as one piece, traditional manufacturing is at the brink of collapse, and exotic applications, such as cloning a human body by 3D bio-printing, are just around the corner. The purpose of this paper is to paint a more realistic picture by identifying ten challenges that clearly illustrate the limitations of this technology, which makes it just as vulnerable as anything else that had been touted before as the next game changer.