For 3D printing to go mainstream, it needs a platform

It is a truth all but universally acknowledged that in our digital age every great technology is in need of a platform to enable it to make the leap from technological renown to mass application. We have all heard of the stories of how sector after sector has been transformed by platforms. Think of telecommunications, media and entertainment and, more recently, hospitality and mobility. From Uber to Airbnb, platforms are the business model revolution of choice.