ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that the hype around 3D printing as a significant innovation is missing a key point. 3D printing is not only a technological innovation, but also a social one. The chapter maintains it is necessary to turn to a sociological account of 3D printing in order to understand fully its significance for the future. It examines the kind of system that could emerge with 3D printing's ubiquity. The chapter considers difference between other machine automation trends and this one. It debates the social implications of the decentralization and distribution of the means of production for work and employment and society more widely. The chapter examines the nascent presence of 3D printing within the existing system of production in order to provide a scoping survey of a possible transition to ubiquity. The introduction of 3D printing into current manufacturing system already involves many cost savings and efficiency gains that herald further progress in distributed, on-demand forms of 'lean' manufacture.
