Around 2012, you had big news coming out about 3D printing: Things like replacement body parts being produced for about 1% the cost, individuals being able to produce guns off the printer, etc. You could go to Barnes & Noble and/or Books-a-Million and buy household models of 3D printers for very affordable costs. It was said that it would go on to become the "next industrial revolution".
...What happened? It's 2020 now, and it's been several years since I've heard of it on a regular basis. It's still around, sure, but mainly in factories, specialized shops, a few hobbyists' homes, and that sort of thing. In general, it's like the Internet was before the 90's.
It was such a versatile, powerful technology though, and it didn't cost that much to get just a very basic one. So especially given both the hype and the legitimate results from around 2012 and 2013, why is 3D printing currently like the Internet before the 90's, instead of the Internet after the 90's?
I am a software person and will probably get lost on a lot of non-layman's speak regarding hardware.
To be clear, I'm not specifically referring to industrial-grade 3D printers. I just mean ones that can at least work with soft plastic or wood that can at least create cheap, little stuff to set around the house or something. These were being sold on store shelves around 2013.
Both \$150 household gadgets and \$250k industrial devices are included, the same as if this were talking about computers being a "standard commodity".