3D printing has been all the rage this past year. And that’s now backed up by figures that show that this technology is gaining traction. According to Canalys, 26,800 3D printers were shipped worldwide in Q1.

What’s interesting is that while most were purchased by enterprises, 46 percent were bought by consumers, up from 43 percent last year.

“While enterprise engagement will continue to grow, it looks to be the consumer space that will drive shipments in the near future. We are already seeing significant numbers of early technology adopters and hobbyists investing in relatively cheap 3D printers. As prices continue to fall, the technology improves and use cases are tested, this trend is set to continue,” said Tim Shepherd, Senior Analyst of Canalys.