Do you think 3d printers will become commonplace in homes?

[Aikouka]

I could have a lot of fun making figures, props, and pieces for my plethora of board games. Would also be kinda fun to be able to make your own little army guy collection and Barbie furniture for your kids. But in reality...more cheap plastic shit is the last thing I need in my house.

Is there any way to "recycle" the stuff? So when your kids are done playing with the random item you made, you could melt it down (or whatever) and use it again.

 

[effowe]

NVM

 

[mizzou]

It's more convenient if you could just print something up, and people will pay for convenience.

What about something that isn't mass produced anymore, like replacement parts? Or that isn't carried locally, and you'd have to pay for shipping?

very....very few things are so dear to me that they could be fixed with a 3d printer when broken.

It's almost like, why would I pay for my own operating system when I could just program one myself.



Joking aside, they are really really cool. If I had $$$ to blow and I was big into hobby art, it could be pretty cool.

 

[phucheneh]

I still don't get the purpose of making flimsy plastic doodads.

Can someone give an example of what someone would 'print' to make even the $800 printer even vaguely worth the cost? The one useful thing someone finds to make with that...I could have 1000 of them injection-molded in China for less.

 

[BladeVenom]

I still don't get the purpose of making flimsy plastic doodads.

Can someone give an example of what someone would 'print' to make even the $800 printer even vaguely worth the cost? The one useful thing someone finds to make with that...I could have 1000 of them injection-molded in China for less.

Maybe everyone wouldn't want them, but plenty would.

Think of how many people would love to be able to print up models from their favorite video game.

How many people play D&D, Warhammer, or other miniature games? I imagine there'd be a big market for it in the hobbyist community.

Think of how many car parts are plastic. It would be especially useful for restoring older cars.

If you're a DIYer, engineer, or inventor it would be great for prototyping at home.

Then there's artists. A substitute for small carvings or sculptures.

 

[Doppel]

Eventually I could see it. I think 3D printing is one of those revolutionary technologies that will blow us away in the coming decades.

People need to seriously, truly try and use their brains in this matter. Just because a little plastic thingy can be made now on a $1000 printer doesn't mean it will always be like that. In time they'll be able to print on multiple materials at lower prices within the same creation. If a 3D printer could combine plastic, ceramic, alloy, circuitry, etc. it would be an inexpensive and wildly powerful manufacturing device. It has the potential to make import laws and control of devices incredibly difficult for the government. Already some company has 3D printed a 30 round magazine. These things can already also create titanium components. Imagine printing your own machine gun? It's not at all far-fetched an idea.

I believe this technology, like autonomous cars, has a very real potential to change how we live in a large way. Some people can't dream and cannot expand their view of what this technology can be, however.

3D printing is a new technology and yet already for a grand anybody can now create virtually any 3D object from plastic. Resolution is getting better via different printing approaches (there are many kickstarter projects, for example).

 

[1prophet]

Wasn't it not too long ago that people having a personal computer in their home was an oddity and many could not see the purpose of it?

 

[sdifox]

I still don't get the purpose of making flimsy plastic doodads.

Can someone give an example of what someone would 'print' to make even the $800 printer even vaguely worth the cost? The one useful thing someone finds to make with that...I could have 1000 of them injection-molded in China for less.

Prototyping is its forte. You can mock up items, refine it til you are happy with it then send the cad file to the manufacturer to mass produce.

 

[Kaido]

I can already see stores losing millions of dollars as people buy 3D printers, take them home and use them to print their own 3D printer, then return the original 3D printer within the 14 Day return period...

hahaha :thumbsup:

 

[StrangerGuy]

hahaha :thumbsup:

The legal ramifications are going to be huge if this takes off big time. Not only we can pirate software now, but also physical things.

 

[Cpus]

Is there any way to "recycle" the stuff? So when your kids are done playing with the random item you made, you could melt it down (or whatever) and use it again.

I doubt it. You buy the ABS in "rolls".

 

[IronWing]

3D printers are definitely growing right now. Cubify has one out now for $1299: (ABS & PLA plastics in different colors, plus glow-in-the-dark!)

This changes everything. TAKE MY MONEY!!!!

 

[phucheneh]

Point taken on prototyping uses.

And D&D and whatnot, I guess.

All my brain sees is 'what can that make that will help me in some regard?' And if I'm not the artistic type, and not prototyping small widgets, it's a 'meh' to me. But I will retract my opinion of the things as 'worthless.'

TBQH I'm in the 'oh, that's what it does?' category. Before this thread, I thought they were just cheap CNC machines that could mill plastic.

 

[preslove]

Motley fool considers it a disruptive tech. I agree.

Thing about disruptive tech is that a lot of investors see them and lose money on entrepreneurs that suck as businesspeople. Plus, just because you know that a tech is going to be huge doesn't mean you know when it will blow up into an every day thing.

Does anybody know anything about the code for these files? Is there one standard, or does every machine have really different languages?

 

[lxskllr]

Motley fool considers it a disruptive tech. I agree.

Thing about disruptive tech is that a lot of investors see them and lose money on entrepreneurs that suck as businesspeople.

Does anybody know anything about the code for these files? Is there one standard, or does every machine have really different languages?

LulzBot is the first recipient of the 'Respects Your Freedom' certification from the FSF.

https://www.lulzbot.com/

https://www.fsf.org/news/hardware-certification-aleph-objects-lulzbot-3d-printer

 

[Juddog]

The potential for this type of device is literally endless.

Major uses, off the top of my head:
* Toys. This is a given; D&D figurines, Warhammer 40k, etc.. Even going so far as building a small plastic automobile for your kids.
* Machine parts. Lost a tire cap and don't feel like running to the store to pick up another? Print it out. Crack an oddball car part, and need replacement? Print it out.
* Other parts. Building a desk, missing that oddball piece to tie the other pieces together? Print it out. Want a shelf with a custom depression to put your post it notes? Want an oddball shelf? Want a weird part for that kitchen device that isn't made anymore, that would work again, if you could just get that one part? Print it out.

I just hope they eventually come out with a version that allows for more materials to be used.

 

[BoberFett]

http://mobile.slashdot.org/story/13...lease-lumia-case-design-files-for-3d-printers

 

[BassBomb]

Oh man imagine when Epson and HP start charging for the ink or plastic in these on mainstream market

 

[exdeath]

Can't wait until we can print plastics and ceramics capable of withstanding 35,000+ PSI

:awe:

Then the libs and ATF will really have a shit fit. Can't stop it. It's coming. Then we might *gasp* have to deal with the actual problem of violence since you won't be able to get rid of the material objects.

Personally I'd rather have a table top CNC milling machine. Make parts out of forged billet, delrin, etc. Much more potential.

I wish I could make a metal magazine catch for my Keltec Sub 2000 right now. Taking forever to hear back from them.

At the very least if you can't print a strong enough object directly, you can use the printer to print a negative to use as a mold or die for a conventional process.

 

[Cpus]

Oh man imagine when Epson and HP start charging for the ink or plastic in these on mainstream market

not sure how much stuff this makes but you can get a 2lb roll of ABS for $20 on ebay.

 

[Ulfwald]

Everyone got TVs, computers, printers, etc.. Why not 3d printers.

 

[IronWing]

What's the voxel size on the consumer models?

Model train enthusists will be in heaven. Chunk up the topo map (digital elevation model) for your favorite stretch of rail and print out your landscape to scale.

 

[BladeVenom]

Can't wait until we can print plastics and ceramics capable of withstanding 35,000+ PSI

Ok, it's not printed, but it's part plastic.

 

[exdeath]

Hmm.... fiberglass/resin cartridge, swap out to copper cartridge, swap out to tin/lead cartridge...

 

[gorobei]

it doesnt work that way.