The open nature of the consumer 3D printing industry has made for a much more consumer-friendly world.

This article continues a series that aims to illustrate some of the various problems associated with vendor lock-in. In past articles, I've given examples showing how proprietary systems from disposable razors to messaging apps have replaced more open systems leading to vendor lock-in. This article highlights an ecosystem that, so far, has largely avoided vendor lock-in and describes the benefits that openness has provided members of the community, myself included: 3D printing.