[podperson]

I was a bit curious about the 90% figure, but a good deal depends on what point in the adoption process we're talking about, e.g.

Use 3D printing instead of milling or whatever for prototype.

Use 3D printing instead of whatever for mass production.

Use 3D printing at point of use.

Simple example: I bought a porcelain teapot a few weeks ago. A few days later we broke the lid. So I bought a new teapot. (The old teapot with the broken lid is sitting on a window sill above the kitchen sink, waiting for glue. A tube of glue costs a substantial fraction of the price of the teapot.)

3D printing could eventually lead to a tectonic shift away from planned obsolescence and disposable culture (which, let's face it, is purely an artifact of mass production).

[nickpinkston]

Yea, I'm very much with you. Our goal (at my startup CloudFab) is that by making things for ourselves - or at least closer to what we want - that it'll mean less marketing driven consumer culture and people will want to keep their self-designed goods.

FYI - we can print in ceramics now - so that lid is replaceable if you've got a file ;-)