Plastic 3D printing has its place in prototyping and education, but 3D printing in metal is being used to manufacture parts in a wide variety of industries. Metals are the fastest-growing segment of 3D printing, with printer sales growing at 48% and material sales growing at 32%, according to the brand new IDTechEx report 3D Printing of Metals 2015-2025.

In 2012 a tsunami of media hype began around consumer 3D printing that turned a lacklustre 30-year-old technology into a household name and created massive growth in the industry even among large established players.

The 3D printing industry continues to go from strength to strength. So much so that, depending upon your definition of "robot", half of the market value for industrial robotics will be robots working as 3D printers by 2026.

Consumer goods giant, Procter & Gamble, has today announced they are pursuing 3D bioprinting.

Each year IDTechEx recognises and rewards outstanding achievement of those involved in the rapidly growing industries they cover. For the first time, IDTechEx are including 3D Printing Europe Awards, which were announced at IDTechEx Show! on 28th April in Berlin.

Since the commercialization of the first 3D printer in the 1980s, the breadth of end users taking advantage of this technology has continued to grow.

"Eventually 3D printing will print people," according to Will.i.am, the music producer, rapper and entrepreneur. "I'm not saying I agree with it, I'm just saying what's fact based on plausible growth in technology." How true is this? And how close are we? At IDTechEx, we take pride in cutting through the hype, to reveal what is actually possible and where the real opportunities lie.

IDTechEx is excited to announce the agenda for 3D Printing Europe 2015. After months of planning, we are ready to launch our fantastic speaker programme.

Since the first consumer-level 3D printers came on the scene six years ago their sales have grown substantially

At the start, there was no generic name. The simple glass of the car windshield started to incorporate printed antennas and heaters. It was what we now know as "structural electronics" - one structure performing mechanical, electrical and other functions.

The 3D printing industry is enormously diverse with printers ranging from the smallest $350 home 3D printers to the largest $1.5m industrial machines.

3D printing has come of age; the total market surpassed $1bn in revenues during 2012 and growth is expected to continue throughout all target sectors to reach $20bn by 2025.

GE Aviation, the world's largest manufacturer of jet engines, announced this month that they are investing $50 million to create a 3D printing production facility in Auburn, Alabama.

The global market for 3D printing is set to reach $7 billion by 2025, as forecasted by IDTechEx. Existing applications will continue to expand but many emerging applications will also be commercialised.

According to research by IDTechEx in the report "3D Printing 2014-2025: Technologies, Markets, Players", the market for 3D printing equipment, materials and software will grow from about $1.5 billion this year to $4 billion in 2025.