I always knew that print would change the world. Images are worth a thousand words and, now more than ever, the world of print is becoming more revolutionary than anyone could have imagined.

Additive manufacturing, more commonly known as 3D printing, has broken into the mainstream, making it possible for enthusiasts to get their hands on a printer for less than ￡1,000. From small desktop printers for the home or office to printing rigs large enough to make houses and apartment blocks, the influence is absolute. Even NASA is creating an 'every tool' for astronauts by sending a 3D printer into space, reducing the need for them to take so much equipment on journeys.

From custom artwork to cake decorating, 3D printing seems to translate across all mediums. As a result, small businesses, entrepreneurs and professionals based in the office are able to reap the benefits of 3D printing. The world-wide market is being opened up to even the smallest of companies – and 3D printing is standing at the forefront of this movement.

Several companies have already started off the back of 3D printing, using the resource to create bespoke products to fill a need that we possibly never knew we had. Manufacturers are now able to cut transportation costs by creating the exact parts they need in-house, with new materials making products lighter and better suited to requirements, unencumbered by the manufacturing limitations of previous years. Streamlining the supply chain is not just cheaper and faster for businesses, but much also friendlier to the environment. 

We are potentially facing a future in which catalogues containing spare parts or replacement items can be downloaded instantaneously and printed up for use the very same day. This is accessibility the likes of which we have previously only dreamed of.

Although 3D printing isn't entirely suitable for the mass production of items, its ability to create one-off products and parts opens up a whole new market place and a plethora of opportunities. Standardised templates for products can be produced with additional items or features created and added to suit a customer's individual needs.

The introduction of 3D printers into the marketplace has been heralded as the second industrial revolution; after all, engineers and designers are now able to conceive an object or part and have a printed prototype made without the hassle they might have faced previously.

We could be looking at a future of inventors and innovators, of more entrepreneurs and new business ventures with a technology that holds widespread accessibility. Exciting times.