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3D printing possesses certain characteristics that are beneficial for user entrepreneurship. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the business models of user entrepreneurs in the 3D printing industry. In addition, various business opportunities in 3D printing open to user entrepreneurs are classified according to their attractiveness.

The authors review the literatures on user entrepreneurship and on business models. Data from eight user entrepreneurs in Europe and North America are analyzed, applying qualitative content analysis. Multiple correspondence analysis is used to analyze their respective business models.

User entrepreneurs in the 3D printing utilize a number of different business models, which show similarities in particular business model components. User entrepreneurs focus primarily on the combination of low opportunity exploitation cost and a large number of potential customers.

Online business seems to be beneficial for user entrepreneurship in 3D printing. Policy makers can foster user entrepreneurship by expanding entrepreneurship education and lowering administrative barriers of business foundation. The results of this study are based on a small European and North American sample. Thus, they might not be applicable to other markets.

This is the first study of user entrepreneur business models in 3D printing and, thus, contributes to the literature on business models and on user entrepreneurship. In view of the novelty of the field, the business models identified in the study could serve as blueprints for prospective user entrepreneurs in 3D printing.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the adoption of rapid prototyping (RP) technology using three dimensional (3D) printer for infusing agility in traditional manufacturing environment.

The computer aided design (CAD) model of a knob of an electronics switch is developed using Pro/E software. Keeping this model as a reference, CAD models of new six knobs are developed. A 3D printer is used to build the prototypes of five of those CAD models. The receptivity of the practitioners over adopting CAD models and 3D printer for achieving agility is investigated.

The sensitisation of the industry captains and employees of traditional manufacturing sector is the imperative for exploiting the power of 3D printer and achieving mass customisation.

The paper reports an original research in which the practicality of using 3D printer is investigated with the objective of enabling the traditional manufacturing companies to imbibe agile characteristics.

Computer typesetting is—or should by now be regarded as—an everyday technique which links the electronic digital computer and tape‐driven composing machines into a system which, on the one hand, can overcome the traditional limitations of the computer line printer and, on the other hand, may offer a more effective alternative to the manual compilation and composition of large‐scale publications.

This paper aims to report on how US printers perceive offshoring trends in the printing industry, and explore how they are responding to its opportunities and challenges.

The authors relied on data collection comprising three stages: exploratory interviews, an industry survey, and follow‐up interviews.

Many printers perceive offshoring as a threat, and some groups are being affected by it. Firms that offer quick and variable printing and/or non‐standard IT services (with the exception of data management) are less likely to suffer from job loss due to the offshoring. To respond to the threat of offshore outsourcing, printers are trying to either focus on “safe” products, introduce new services, or offshore themselves. Most US printers do not have a global footprint, so few have taken advantage of the opportunities opened up by globalization, by offshoring their supply chain or selling abroad.

Due to a low response rate, performance data are not in the analysis. This limitation is common for researchers of the printing industry where little public data are available.

While many US printers are feeling the negative effects of offshoring, few are taking advantage of its benefits.

Most offshoring studies to date have relied on publicly available data, which has significant limitations. This study uses a mix of both survey and interview data to attain a more nuanced view of how the US printing industry is being affected by, and responding, to offshoring.

The purpose of this paper is to explore what underlies the development of the consumer 3D printing industry and gain insight into future developments and its potentially disruptive impact on the existing manufacturing industry.

A combination of approaches was followed. Initially a consumer 3D printer was purchased to gain first-hand experience as part of a practical research case study. Results were discussed with manufacturers and additional information was sought, and triangulated, via a survey and an exploratory bibliometric study.

Many characteristics are in place to identify consumer 3D printing as a potential disruptive technology for the manufacturing industry. For example, the cost of consumer 3D printing is lower than for traditional manufacturing. However, the current adoption rate is low and the user friendliness and technological capabilities need to improve.

The main limitation is the exploratory nature of the study which does not allow generalizations.

If developments and adoption patterns continue, then traditional manufacturing industries, distribution channels and the transportation sector may become threatened.

Technological advances in consumer manufacturing can potentially threaten several economic sectors, which can lead to loss of jobs and affect budgets of states of countries that depend on sales tax.

One of the first studies to employ experiments in combination with other methods to gain insight into adoption patterns and the disruptive nature of consumer 3D printers specifically, rather than industrial 3D printers or new business models as a result of 3D printing technology.

Analyses the attempt by a trade association (the British Federation of Master Printers) to secure the universal adoption by its members of a uniform costing system. It was envisaged that the industry‐wide application of a prescribed costing solution would secure the socio‐economic advancement of employer printers and ensure an improvement in their power relative to unionized labour and unorganized customers. Universal adherence to the uniform costing system depended on the trade association changing the prevailing negative attitudes of employers towards the twin ideals of scientific costing and organization. In order to achieve this a concerted campaign of persuasive communication was undertaken. Reveals that propaganda was conducted by utilizing a variety of distribution media and by employing a range of propagandist devices. The limited success achieved in converting employers to the costing cause is considered to have been the result of message, audience and contextual effects. The persistence of traditional attitudes among printers, the effects of war and adverse macro‐economic conditions were particularly important factors which induced resistance to attitudinal and behavioural change. Concludes that the uniform costing movement and the history of costing in artisan‐craft‐based industries merit deeper investigation.