Almost half a million 3D printers will be sold around the world this year as the market for the devices continues to grow.
Technology research firm Gartner estimates 455,772 3D printers will be shipped this year, more than double the number sold last year.
But Gartner claims this is just the tip of the iceberg, predicting that by 2020 the number of 3D printers being sold will have reached 6.7 million.
The growth is being driven by reductions in prices which are making 3D printers more affordable for consumers, educational institutions and small businesses, and not just specialist industries.
According to Gartner, 3D printers are being used for a variety of tasks, including the creation of prototypes, the augmentation of manufacturing processes and the production of finished products.
Prototyping will continue to be the most common use of the technology.
Much of the growth is coming from North America and Western Europe, although total shipments are likely to be greater in Asia/Pacific and Greater China.
"Once a niche market, 3D printing has continued its rapid transformation into a broad-based mainstream technology embraced by consumers and enterprises around the world," said Pete Basiliere, research vice president at Gartner.
"The evolution of hardware and software along with an ever-expanding collection of usable materials has driven growth in both the consumer and enterprise 3D printing markets."
