3D printers and 3D printing [Discussion]

[Deleted]

3D printers started out as a way to easily produce prototypes and basic models. Today, there are printers coming out aimed at consumers for home use to create tools, toys, bowls, complex models and so on.



What do you think, will 3D printers revolutionize retail? Will you get one? Will every home in the future have one, or will it be a novelty item?

[Punisher]

I don't think every body will get one, because I don't see the usage of having one for me, but I think it will be a major part for the retail

And if ppl got some at home, they could do guns with it, and I don't think its a good idea...

[chazus]

3D printers are like the poor man's Replicator from Star Trek. You ask it to make something, it uses materials on hand, and produces just about whatever you want. While I don't think 3D printers have any particular mass level use any time soon, I think their presence allows us to consider what they COULD do.

A vending machine that can print supplies for students at a school.
A kiosk that can print medical tools and supplies at a hospital (or a war zone, or a place without power)
A manufacturing unit to produce on-demand visual aids in classes

Of course, there are always the defense ideas. A drop-box that can pump out supplies, ammunition, weapons, whatever. Heck, on a massive scale, maybe we can see things start producing cheap, disposable vehicles.

I think the proof-in-concept is more important currently than it's -actual- use. The next generation of these things 5-10 years down the line, I think is where it will start to become truly society changing. I'd like to think that shopping will be reduced to simply purchasing raw materials, and whatever you want is manufactured literally in your house. Break your phone? Cash in the material value (plus royalties), and poof, you've got a new one later that day.

[Deleted]

Can't wait to be able to afford one. As the tech advances, we'll soon be able to make many more things. Nothing will say don't tread on me more than a home gun making factory.

[ebah]

3D printers are like the poor man's Replicator from Star Trek. You ask it to make something, it uses materials on hand, and produces just about whatever you want. While I don't think 3D printers have any particular mass level use any time soon, I think their presence allows us to consider what they COULD do.

A vending machine that can print supplies for students at a school.
A kiosk that can print medical tools and supplies at a hospital (or a war zone, or a place without power)
A manufacturing unit to produce on-demand visual aids in classes

Of course, there are always the defense ideas. A drop-box that can pump out supplies, ammunition, weapons, whatever. Heck, on a massive scale, maybe we can see things start producing cheap, disposable vehicles.

I think the proof-in-concept is more important currently than it's -actual- use. The next generation of these things 5-10 years down the line, I think is where it will start to become truly society changing. I'd like to think that shopping will be reduced to simply purchasing raw materials, and whatever you want is manufactured literally in your house. Break your phone? Cash in the material value (plus royalties), and poof, you've got a new one later that day.

Or print your own beast computer!

[mojo6912]

Print another printer... =O

[hiragana]

I can see me having one in future, but i think it will be long time before they replace shops. Im still excited for it though, i can only imagine the designs some people will come up with for awesome, free (apart from materials) items.

I do worry about guns and such though.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

Or print your own beast computer!

Could be difficult given that a 3D printer can't make PCBs, and it would be a pain in the ass to have to solder every single transistor, capacitor and resister onto the board by hand.

[lordmatthias]

On the other hand you should be able to print a pretty awesome custom case

[Drunkenvalley]

We started building a 3D printer on our end, but sadly the guy behind setting up the electronics side apparently decided the project he'd baited us into wasn't worth finishing.

If I didn't already know the guy was broke I'd bill him for the damn thing about now...

[Djinni]

I can see me having one in future, but i think it will be long time before they replace shops. Im still excited for it though, i can only imagine the designs some people will come up with for awesome, free (apart from materials) items.

I do worry about guns and such though.

You still need a real firing pin. Currently plastic firing pins are a bit hard to make ;-)

[Masark]

You still need a real firing pin. Currently plastic firing pins are a bit hard to make ;-)

There exist printers (SLS) that will do metal.

They're just really bloody expensive.