Attempts to answer the frequently asked questions “where is rapid prototyping now?” and “where is it going?”. Begins by assessing the state of the worldwide market for rapid prototyping (RP) systems, and goes on to detail the factors that will determine the level of future growth. Some of these are technical issues, others are human factors. Provides an overview of how RP technology is developing, and concludes with an upbeat view of the potential for growth in the industry.