Analyst rains on Gartner's 3D-printing parade

CCS Insight report anticipates 3D printing to grow at a much slower pace than Gartner forecast yesterday

CCS Insight has poured cold water on Gartner's predictions for the future of 3D printing, anticipating the market will grow at a much slower pace than the analyst recently predicted.

Yesterday Gartner forecast that global shipments of 3D printers would reach 2.3 million by 2018, but CCS Insight expects only 850,000 units to have shipped by this time.

CCS Insight claims the global 3D printing market will grow from $1.15bn (£710m) in 2013 to $4.8bn in 2018, whereas Gartner more optimistically forecast that end-user spending alone on 3D printers would reach $13.4bn over the same period.

According to the report by CCS Insight, growth in the 3D printing market will be driven largely by the education sector.

But the report was sceptical about consumer adoption and household ownership of 3D printers.

Arnaud Gagneux, vice president for technology transformation at CCS Insight, said:

"Consumers will only buy 3D printers if they can see a clear use for them. To drive mass sales, manufacturers need to change the perception that 3D printers are simply a bit of fun and create sustainable demand beyond just an occasional need."

Gagneux also warned that the consumer and desktop 3D printer market is still in its infancy but added that he expected "many positive disruptions in the coming years".