A number of Japanese tech companies are poised to enter the 3D printer market, with Ricoh, Japan’s leading multinational precision instrument company already developing a 3D printer for car and machinery parts they aim to have in production by 2016. They hope to capitalize on demand for mass production as well as prototyping. The printers are expected to be priced between $46,900 to $187,670. Ricoh is targeting small and midsize parts makers as potential clients.
In the meantime, in efforts to get their feet wet in the 3D printer market, Ricoh will start offering prototyping services, and will be importing and selling 3D printers from global leader Stratasys, a manufacturer of 3D printers and 3D production systems for office-based rapid prototyping and direct digital manufacturing solutions. read more here