“3D printing” is one of those terms that can mean different things to different people. Our contributor Pete Basiliere has written often on the various technologies and materials, applications, and opportunities for 3D printing. The term “3D printing” itself is a bit of a misnomer—let’s face it, all printing takes place in three dimensions (unless you are in an Edwin Abbott novel), so the preferred term is additive manufacturing, a process by which a material is layered to create a physical object. That material can be any of a wide variety of plastics, as well as metals, composites, and biomaterials, and the objects produced can be anything from industrial parts to human organs.

In wide-format and signage, additive manufacturing units have hit the market, most notably from Mimaki and Massivit, and the former has found its units finding niches in creating collectibles or even 3D artwork, while the latter has been found its customers using its 3D printing systems for retail displays and other advertising applications, museum pieces, and even stage props. In the signage space, 3D printing has yet to find a compelling application.

“I’ve been looking at 3D printing for probably 10 or 12 years, ever since it really took off,” said Ted Redmer, Senior Digital Technology Manager at Alliance Franchise Brands (AFB). Redmer’s role, from a technology standpoint, is to keep an eye on the market, work with companies that produce equipment that may fit into the franchise model—he works with both the commercial print and sign sides of AFB—test the equipment, certify it for the franchise, and recommend and help support that equipment within the franchise. “It’s been something we’ve been researching for quite some time and I often get questions from members about it. It’s something I’m excited about and I think a lot of potential in our industry.” But, he added, “it just isn’t one of those natural progressions like, ‘Hey, we have a wider printer or now we have white ink.’ It’s a much more sideways step into a completely different market.” He cites the use of 3D printing for rapid prototyping and certain types of manufacturing, adding, “I’ve been searching for that killer application that makes it a natural fit for our space. We’ve done some jobs with 3D printing in the past, but they were niche things.”