Prototyping for Profits

There's also something to be said about a technology that attracts industry giants Amazon and Apple. Last summer, Amazon launched its own 3-D printing store boasting the tagline "Shop the Future." Apple, on the other hand, has been quietly filing patents pertaining to 3-D printing.

While this is all fascinating stuff, is there a place for 3-D printing in the print and promotional products industry? Jim Corliss, owner of Braintree Printing, Braintree, Mass., seems to think so. "To some extent, we service the creative world, so 3-D is just another aspect of servicing creative people," he said.