This is big 3D news: Staples and Autodesk are now providing 3D printers and services.

Staples, one of the largest stationery and growing electronics stores, has teamed up with one of the largest and growing 3D companines, 3D Systems, to bring this next-generation in printing to consumers. Staples is both selling and providing 3D printing services.

This 3D Systems and Staples venture has been released to the public over a month ago, and the Latin Post reported on the growing 3D printing trend during the same time.

3D Systems has been working on 3D-printed chocolate with the Hershey Company, and Staples is perhaps the biggest venture to date, The Economist reported.

Staples has only two stores in the U.S. providing 3D printing: one in New York City, and the other is in Studio City, California.

Now Autodesk is getting in on the act. Autodesk is an American multinational software corporation that makes software for architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, and entertainment industries. It might be one of the biggest companies that only a few people are aware of. But Autodesk has a software line for consumers, including Sketchbook, and Pixlr.

Autodesk is no longer focusing on software for designing real places and things, it is now going into the hardware business. Autodesk claims "they" want to make it more accessible. HP might be their biggest competitor, they have been working on 3D printing for quite some time, and they are the major vendor in consumer and business printing to enter the 3D market, VentureBeat reported.

Besides HP, Autodesk will have to compete with Makerbot who just released their consumer and user friendly 3D printer via Kickstarter; as well as 3D systems' line of Cubes, that is 3D printers.

But Autodesk will be partnering with other companies that make 3D printers, or at least companies that have not released actual devices yet. Autodesk has already started working on the hardware by establishing a small team about a year ago, VentureBeat reported.

Autodesk not only wants to make consumer 3D printers, they have ventured into an open-software 3D printing platform, CNET reported. While Makerbot and 3D systems' printers are significantly less expensive, Autodesk's printers is expected to cost above $1,000.

To date, the 3D printing market has been estimated to be worth about $2.5 billion. Now, according to a study conducted by a research firm Canalys, it could be worth as much as $16.2 billion by 2018, CNET reported.