Economic security

3-D printing as a potential global threat

All emerging technologies have opportunities and drawbacks, and 3-D printing is no exception. 

The 3-D market is expected to grow exponentially. Industry analysts at IDC recently released their growth estimates; they say global spending on 3-D printing is expected to top $35 billion in 2020. If that projection is accurate, the 3-D printing market will already be a whopping 25 percent of the projected size of the global market for machine tools -- a highly mature industry -- in 2020.

The capabilities that 3-D printing provides also bring substantial security and economic threats. The interception or theft of the files going to 3-D printers provides all that is necessary to produce counterfeit parts. Also, consider the global implications associated with the production and sale of products based on theft of intellectual property.