Comments on: 3D Printing

By: TheBlackCat

TheBlackCat — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:23:17 +0000

Another thing that is important, at least for someone who considers software freedom and control of one’s own electronic data important, is that these devices are all written using open-source software, which means individual users can tweak and modify the software to suit their own needs.

By: willradik

willradik — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:37:56 +0000

I wonder if someone anticipating something like this during the fax craze. I seem to remember reading speculation in school about a future where objects would created by “faxing” them into houses. This might have been in the Weekly Reader paper by Scholastic they gave us when I was a kid. I seem to remember they had an article about a flying car, too…

By: superdave

superdave — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:53:32 +0000

http://www.makerbot.com/
their preassembled kit is 1700 bucks. That’s really not too expensive at all.

By: llewelly

llewelly — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:23:08 +0000

Household 3d printers will cause large toymakers to join the MPAA in decrying creative individuals as “pirates”.

By: Jim Shaver

Jim Shaver — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:34:05 +0000

Heathkit, eh, Carl? Now you’re bringing back some fond memories. Also, I’m pretty sure I still have my Radio Shack 65-In-One kit stored away in the attic somewhere. Along with my metal Erector set, too. Time to do some digging…

By: ConspicuousCarl

ConspicuousCarl — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:54:42 +0000

3d printing can still be cool even if you still have to mail-order a few critical parts and assemble everything. So maybe 3d printing will do for 21st-century consumer products what Heathkit did for 20th-century consumer products.

By: tmac57

tmac57 — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:16:26 +0000

Along the lines of recycling that Steve mentioned,I could see a market for making your own raw materials for use in the 3D printer. A kind of plastics blender/grinder ,that could process water bottles,plastic ware,or whatever,based on it’s recycle number,to make the raw product for printing.That might really appeal to recycling fans.
Also,I can see (maybe tongue in cheek) a market for manufacturers to deliberately make flimsy plastic parts on their products ,and then make a software design for the replaceable parts available for a “nominal” fee online.I can see geeks being thrilled that the ‘whatever’ for their favorite gadget broke,so they now get to download the design,and make a new one.

By: Steven Novella

Steven Novella — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:30:02 +0000

I also had another thought – recyclable raw material. What if you break a dish – you can throw the pieces back into the printer, it gets melted down or broken down somehow and can be used as raw material to make a new plate or whatever.

The more these kinds of ancillary break throughs happen, the more useful the technology will be. But still a lot of “if”.

By: Steven Novella

Steven Novella — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:26:47 +0000

I deliberately did not give a time frame for the “sometime in the future” comment, and also deliberately referred to “some futurists” so as not to explicitly endorse that view.

So to clarify my personal view:

I think what was said about the limitations of materials and manufacturing processes are all true. But – I do think at home or on-demand manufacturing will have an increasing place. As the technology gets more prevalent then that will create a market for designs that are “3D-Printer Compatible”. Objects will be redesigned just so that a workable version can be printed at home.

At first the low-hanging fruit will be picked – mostly plastic items and parts. I agree that replacement parts for appliances will be huge. Broke the small plastic doohickie on your blender? Just download the specs from the manufacturers website and print a replacement.

Increasingly items will be designed from scratch to be 3D-printer compatible, exploiting the technology.

Think of all the things in your home that are essentially solid objects without moving parts – all cups, plates, utensiles, lots of furniture items, decorations, tools, containers, etc.

Sure, there are also lots of items that would not be practical to manufacture this way, perhaps ever.

We might also imagine the use of kits, where the parts that cannot be printed are included, with digital specs to print the solid objects, then you put it together.

As I said, it’s hard to predict how technology will be used. I certainly am not arguing for complete penetration of this technology anytime soon. It will be interested to see how useful it will be. Will it be a novelty, a niche item, and if so how small a niche? Will it be increasingly indispensible and have significant penetration for most small domestic items? We’ll see.

By: eean

eean — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:34:50 +0000

Surprised one of your brothers didn’t send you a link to the Makerbot “Replicators” unveiled at CES last month.
They only cost $1800. Cheap enough for moddle class families with healthy geek budgets.