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Very interesting projects out there. Will 3Dprinting change manufacturing and delivery forever ...
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3D printing is set to disrupt multiple industries thanks to its unique position at the intersection of three important trends in technology: the Internet of Things, our growing desire to personalize our things, and the coming revolution in the way things get delivered to us.
Operating at this unique trifecta, 3D printing promises to democratize the design and build process, allowing consumers to create their own stuff from scratch and take the concept of mass customization to an entirely new level. As modern consumers have come to expect very custom experiences, it’s no longer enough for manufacturers and merchants to offer products in a wide range of colors and styles. The ability to customize nearly everything is now commonplace, even expected, in products ranging from T-shirts to tennis shoes and iPods to M&Ms. 3D printing delivers the ability to customize quickly and inexpensively without worrying about minimum production runs.
It's hard to say where and when 3D printing will be applied. The process of "printing" metallic and even plastic components is time consuming and often very finicky. And don't be fooled... It still requires workers even during the printing process. Today's production methods are many times more efficient, and really don't require much in the way of workers. I've seen machines that spit out 1000's of complex parts in an 8 hour shift, where 4 machines could be operated by 1 worker. Now that is efficiency at it's peak. They can even instal precision cameras which can halt the line when defects are detected.
Where I see 3D printing becoming quite useful... Rapid prototyping and small quantity production. That's entirely dependent on the quality of the "print", and that even goes down to the molecular level. I understand that GE is printing turbines, but they are also treating the printed part like a casting. Once it is printed, they are using conventional machining applications to apply critical dimensions. Basically, they only trust the printer up to a certain degree. They are also checking the resulting product with absolute scrutiny. Again, the tech is new, and they have to get a feel for it's capabilities and it's weaknesses.
3D printing will expand our possibilities when it comes to what we can manufacture. I think it will open the doors for innovation, and allow engineers greater freedom in the development of products. There's many things that can not be manufactured using conventional means. Of course, due to the time required to print items, many new designs might be cost prohibitive when it comes to consumer products.
I love the discussions about this. so many people keep saying-its too expensive, only high end shops will have this, etc etc.
Those line up almost perfectly with laser printers. You know, full color ones like what many of us purchase inexpensively? And that the VAST majority of our printing is done on?
3D printing is major. The laser sintering for printing metals is coming to a affordable level eventually. I can see people buying kits with everything but the metal and plastic and printing the rest at home. Later as graphene and other materials are added we're going to see incredible advances.
And this changes everything. Its a small hint of what mems and then later atomic level assembly will bring.
The thing is 3D printers are a form of Information technology this advance exponentially. I have a thread about this in the science and technology forum.
All the unemployed millenials need to find a niche in this industry rather than whining and begging for free sh*t from the employed.
This has very little to do with the conversation. LOL. Even worse I don't think you comprehend for an instant the kind of changes we're suggesting are coming as a result of this. I can assure you that we're not talking about more people being employed, quite the opposite. Your entire statement is based on a viewpoint of what NOW is thats based on what the world USED to be, and has nothing to do with the world thats coming.
I love the discussions about this. so many people keep saying-its too expensive, only high end shops will have this, etc etc.
Those line up almost perfectly with laser printers. You know, full color ones like what many of us purchase inexpensively? And that the VAST majority of our printing is done on?
3D printing is major. The laser sintering for printing metals is coming to a affordable level eventually. I can see people buying kits with everything but the metal and plastic and printing the rest at home. Later as graphene and other materials are added we're going to see incredible advances.
And this changes everything. Its a small hint of what mems and then later atomic level assembly will bring.
Yep. Pretty soon.. Need a car part? Go to your local auto parts store. They don't have many parts, just a block of raw material. You buy the license to use 1 part. come back an hour later and pick it up.
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