ABSTRACT
This chapter seeks to describe a variety of contexts in which 3D printing technologies are expected to emerge over the next 15 years and exert their so-called disruptive potential. It describes the paradigmatic change allowed by 3D printing in the industrial sector with a shift toward mass customisation. The chapter focuses on the biomedical sector, which is an interesting case in point because of the important number of innovations and the growth of 3D printed biomedical parts, a trend that is expected to continue in the future. It addresses the expectations raised by 3D printing to empowering users in non-industrial domains. In traditional manufacturing, parts are manufactured using processes such as injection moulding and casting, or subtractive manufacturing methods where material is trimmed. 3D printing is an additive manufacturing process allowing the building of parts layer by layer, i.e. by adding one layer on top of the last-built layer.
