From the 3D Printer blog:
3D printing is a fascinating form of manufacturing technology, which
will without a doubt lead to a revolutionary new way of doing things. In
the not-so-distant future, we will be able to drive our kids to the
local Wal-Mart or Office Depot to pick up a 3D printer for a school
project. We’ll print spare parts at home from downloaded files, or just
design them ourselves. Many consumer goods will be printed in small
production runs locally rather than mass-produced and shipped from a
cheap-labor country. The fields of art, design and architecture will be
barely recognizable. Yes, 3D printing will change everything, and for
the better. Here’s a summary of some of the ways I see 3D printing
changing the world.
The Maker Community
Currently many engineers, 3D artists and home hobbyists are looking into
designing and manufacturing their own products on a small scale.
Perhaps a knob on the dishwasher just broke – better create one and
print it! Maybe some artists’ children want unique toys. Design one up!
Some designers are very serious about developing products at more than a
hobbyist level, and 3D printing can help with that too. More and more
people are taking advantage of the rising availability of low cost 3D
printers and 3D printing services and becoming 21st century makers. As
the technology advances and companies like 3D Systems, Objet, and
Stratasys get more competitive, and as garage inventors all over the
world seemingly create new home 3D printers daily, prices will steadily
drop while capabilities rise.
3D Printing Could Save Your Life
First off, the technology I’m going to mention here is still in
development, but it is being researched and implemented as you read
this. Visionaries like Anthony Atlata are working to develop miracle
technologies like organ replication. If Anthony and his team can create
simple organs like bladders now, what can happen in 20 years from now?
This layer-by-layer manufacturing process is going to be creating
miracles in our lifetimes. If you face organ failure down the road, it
could be the key to your survival.
Maybe in your case, your medical situation won’t require the
replacement of a failed organ, but 3D printing could truly enhance your
life when your body starts to fall apart. This technology was recently
used to assist in the facial reconstruction of a man in Belgium. It has
also been used to give an elderly woman a jaw implant. 3D printing has
helped with prosthetics and adapters for war victims as well. Perhaps
you just need some dental work done, or a new hearing aid. 3D printing
is already helping with this now. There are a wide variety of new
medical applications being created through 3D printing. These
applications are not only growing in quantity, but rising in stature.
3D Printing vs. Machining
The
traditional machining industry is going to be facing some serious
competition from 3D printing. A custom machined metal part can take a
few weeks to construct, and in many cases is very expensive. However,
with 3D printing, the same piece can currently be manufactured in a
matter of hours. Designers can simply turn the machine on at closing
time, let it run overnight, and ship out the product the following
morning.
Machining methods are very dependent to the geometrical designs of
products. Through 3D printing, designs can implement organic shapes,
hollowed centers, and innovative feats in manufacturing such as a ball
within a ball and functional parts straight out of the machine! Bottom
line – 3D printing will be cheaper, easier to design for, and much
faster than traditional machining methods.
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