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What is
3D Printing?
Google it! Oh, yes, that's why you've come here :)
3D Printing is the process of creating a three dimensional object
layer by layer using a 3D printer - in short it turns a digital
3D model in your computer into a physical 3D model that you can
touch!
3D Printing is a form of 'additive manufacturing', so instead of
take a piece of wood or plastic and carving an object of it which
would create lots of waste, the object is created by adding material,
layer by layer - so there is little to no waste!
3D Printing has been around for many years, predominantly used
for commerical prototyping. Costs of printers have been high so
it has stayed away from home use.... until now! You can now buy
a consumer unit for as little as £1000! Much like there is
a computer in every home it is believed 3D Printers will follow
suit over the next few years.
And so what, I already have a paper printer in my home, what's
so special about 3D Printing? I'm glad you asked ;) 3D Printing
has the potential to revolutionise the manufacturing industry and
change the world - and much, much more...
There are many players already in this market, there's a bit of
a gold rush about to take place, there are the giants like Stratasys,
Objet and 3D Systems, the future stars of tomorrow like MakerBot,
and then many smaller garage type set ups, many of which look like
something out of Robot Wars :)
Expect huge leaps over the next few years, it's be a fierce market
place as firms battle it out for market share.
There is also a large and ever growing hobbiest and open source
network, all very exciting, can't wait to start printing ourselves...
:)
More copy to follow shortly... |
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Uses
for 3D Printing (both positive & negative!)
- Art - fantastic and 'impossible' shapes are
easily constructed
- Circuit Boards -
- Fashion - we've already seen a 3D printed bra,
the floodgates are open...
- Furniture -
- Food Production - Meat, pasta, chocolate
- Guns - yes, it's true, people are already trying
this, a dangerous flip side to this technology but inevitable.
Google Defense Distributed or Wiki Weapon if interested.
- Jewellery - seem lots of this, some lovely
designs however nothing wow yet
- Knives - inevitable...
- Lamp Shades - some superb examples out there,
very well suited - however, thermoplastics with light bulbs...?
- Manufacturing - everything, including space
ships - NASA are using it!
- Medical - already being used by dental companies
- Movie Props - Iron Man costume & Skyfall
miniture DB5
- Prosthetic Limbs - these can be created for
a perfect fit to an individual, rather than picking a small, medium
or large (slight exageration on the latter)
- Prototyping - this is origins of 3D Printing
dating back more than a decade
- Puzzles - maths applies so beatifully to 3D
Printing, expect a resurge in amazingly intricate & complex
puzzles
- Robotics - hugely so, 3D Print will really
speed up the evolution of robotics, the software is very advanced,
the physical is the part that need to play catch up and 3D Print
will facilitate this
- Spare Parts - if you can download it, 3D model
it or scan it, you can print it!
- Toys - Disney are currently having a play with
this
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Global
Impact (past, present & future)
- Aerospace -
- Art - 3D printing enables new shapes and structures
to be build which were not possible with subtractive manufacturing,
this is a space we are keen to join in on
- Business -
- Carbon Footprint - less need to trasport goods
can only be a good thing for the environment
- Cost Savings - cheaper to produce complex designs,
less wasted materials
- Defense -
- Delivery, Shipping, Transportation - potentially
huge impacts here, goods can be created locally so no need to
ship half way around the world. We'd still have to ship the raw
materials wouldn't we? Well yes, but likely less distance as the
raw materials could be created more locally - and also the raw
materials would be more compact and less fragile than finished
items so easier to transport too.
- Design & Variety -
- Education -
- Employment / Unemployment - 3D printing allows
the production of working, mechanical objects (e.g. toy cars with
rotating wheels, gear cubes, puzzle toys) without the need for
assembly. This removes the need for a significant number of unskilled
workers, these workers will have have to retrain or re-educate
themselves else face unemployment. It is likely unemployment will
rise as a result of the 3D print boom.
- Engineering -
- Fashion - new shapes and structures are now
possible, designers can create things in their offices or homes,
we expect to see some very quirky and hopefully clever fashion
evolution.
- Food -
- Hobbiests - this is the roots of home 3D printing,
these are the guys who are in effect leading the way or at least
are on the forefront, there are many business and career opportunities
for such pioneers of 3D printing.
- Innovation - the doors are really opening...
we would expect a huge rise in innovation as all those ideas flying
around in people's brains but with no sensible outlet - suddenly
find a sensible outlet! No need to produce a minimum order or
5000 from a factory in China and wait 3 months to arrive, now
people can create whatever they want with a print run of 1 if
they like! Customise and re-engineer as many times as they like,
give it away for free to the whole world - the doors of innovation
are about to be flung wide...
- Intellectual Property -
- Manufacturing -
- Medical -
- Military -
- Lamp Shades - we've seen lots of designers
using 3D printing to create wonderful new shapes and intricate
designs, this one is here to stay.
- Layers -
- Legal System -
- Pre-Assembled Products -
- Prosthetics - been around for a while, this
is a fantastic use of 3D Printing which makes a real difference
to people's quality of life, custom fit personalised prosthetics
- in any colour you like!
- Simplicity -
- Sizing - imagine a tool set with 10 different
size wrenches - no need for 10 different molds to be make, 3D
Printing enables you to print all sizes and any fraction in between
from a single design.
- Social - how can 3D printing change society?
Do you not think the internet and mobile have changed the way
we do business and interact with each other? 3D printing will
shift some of the power further into the hands of the public,
people will be able to create and sell their products, create
their own fashion, their own jewellry, their own gadgets - it
will enhance self expression and give consumer freedom with less
restraints.
- Tooling -
- Transportation -
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