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

[DrPizza]

I don't think they'll ever be commonplace. What would people print? There is very little need for printing all plastic things, except perhaps for hobbyists. A few people have mentioned printing replacement parts. Uh, no. The majority of people aren't that mechanically inclined. There was a thread the other day about the circuit board for someone's oven burning out. He used solder to (temporarily, I hope) rebuild the traces on the circuit board that were melted away. Think about the other students in college - not your fellow engineers - the liberal arts majors. MAYBE 1 in 20 could have gotten the circuit board out - and only a fraction of them would/could have rebuilt those traces. <note to self, remember to take soldering iron to the school Tuesday to repair the timing system in the swimming pool.>

The majority of replacement parts cannot be fabricated from just plastic. At one time or another, I've repaired just about every common type of home appliance. I've repaired every type of restaurant equipment in the pizza shop I worked at - large 3-phase mixers, large pizza ovens, warmers, walk-in cooler, you name it. I can't think of a single time that I had to order a part that was all plastic, or that could be made all plastic. Any thing else that I fixed was something incredibly cheap like a switch plate - not worth the cost of maintaining a printer for one part a year that's available at the hardware store for $.50.

So, what's an average person going to print? A new spatula for cooking? Again, you can probably pick up a better quality one for $1 at the dollar store than you can print.


Edit: maybe some enterprising individual will open a shop where he fabricates replacement parts for people by printing them out. Good luck.

 

[gorobei]

here's what people are making now.

http://www.thingiverse.com/categories

there's a plastic part of my mom's refrigerator bin that broke. its a tiny nothing piece but would require buying an entire glass shelf as a replacement part from the manufacturer. with crazy glue and a printed part it could be fixed for a buck or two.

most consumer products are better off being made from mass production techniques, but for one time fixes or custom situations printing is a very viable option.

 

[NoStateofMind]

I don't think they'll ever be commonplace. What would people print? There is very little need for printing all plastic things, except perhaps for hobbyists. A few people have mentioned printing replacement parts. Uh, no. The majority of people aren't that mechanically inclined. There was a thread the other day about the circuit board for someone's oven burning out. He used solder to (temporarily, I hope) rebuild the traces on the circuit board that were melted away. Think about the other students in college - not your fellow engineers - the liberal arts majors. MAYBE 1 in 20 could have gotten the circuit board out - and only a fraction of them would/could have rebuilt those traces. <note to self, remember to take soldering iron to the school Tuesday to repair the timing system in the swimming pool.>

The majority of replacement parts cannot be fabricated from just plastic. At one time or another, I've repaired just about every common type of home appliance. I've repaired every type of restaurant equipment in the pizza shop I worked at - large 3-phase mixers, large pizza ovens, warmers, walk-in cooler, you name it. I can't think of a single time that I had to order a part that was all plastic, or that could be made all plastic. Any thing else that I fixed was something incredibly cheap like a switch plate - not worth the cost of maintaining a printer for one part a year that's available at the hardware store for $.50.

So, what's an average person going to print? A new spatula for cooking? Again, you can probably pick up a better quality one for $1 at the dollar store than you can print.


Edit: maybe some enterprising individual will open a shop where he fabricates replacement parts for people by printing them out. Good luck.

Could be just temporary part until a replacement is received?

I don't know how feasible it would be to have some sort of recycling apparatus with metals and plastic. Maybe only low heat metals, I'm guessing here, Aluminum? It would have to be idiot proof which would make my question moot to begin with.

 

[DrPizza]

Could be just temporary part until a replacement is received?

I don't know how feasible it would be to have some sort of recycling apparatus with metals and plastic. Maybe only low heat metals, I'm guessing here, Aluminum? It would have to be idiot proof which would make my question moot to begin with.

I've thought of one plastic part: dog ears in a washing machine. Maybe 1% of the population would ever repair that themselves (though, it's a pretty trivial repair.) Otherwise, no. It's like saying "oh my, my computer's not working, because my video card went bad. I'll just print a new video card in my 3-D printer." Not gonna work. Many parts that go bad and need replacement are electrical. Other parts tend to be wear parts - and have to be made out of specific materials, not plastic. Let's look at something that gets a relatively large number of repairs: a car. Gonna replace those brake pads with plastic? How about those tie rod ends? I guess, if you break the ash tray in your car, you're in luck.

 

[NoStateofMind]

I've thought of one plastic part: dog ears in a washing machine. Maybe 1% of the population would ever repair that themselves (though, it's a pretty trivial repair.) Otherwise, no. It's like saying "oh my, my computer's not working, because my video card went bad. I'll just print a new video card in my 3-D printer." Not gonna work. Many parts that go bad and need replacement are electrical. Other parts tend to be wear parts - and have to be made out of specific materials, not plastic. Let's look at something that gets a relatively large number of repairs: a car. Gonna replace those brake pads with plastic? How about those tie rod ends? I guess, if you break the ash tray in your car, you're in luck.

What about furniture, cups, dishes, toothbrushes, plumbing, washer rings, containers (ie. thermos/canteen), replacement parts of various machines. I can think of many gardening tools. I do realize most people won't be doing the repair but the repair man won't have to order a specific washer or other plastic part. Repair is completed johnny on the spot once printing (or hardening time) is completed. Granted this sounds like pie in the sky bananas stuff but I've got a hunch and maybe too far an imagination.

 

[gorobei]

most of the current printer users already print replacement parts for the 3d printers as well as tools to help print.

check out jmeMantzel's youtube channel. he's been using a plastic extrusion type to prototype his spiderbot toys for the manufacturer. he prints all kinds of stuff.

 

[BladeVenom]

Let's look at something that gets a relatively large number of repairs: a car. Gonna replace those brake pads with plastic? How about those tie rod ends? I guess, if you break the ash tray in your car, you're in luck.

Most of your car's interior is plastic. There's plastic through the entire car. And if it's an old car, they might not even make the part you need it anymore.

How about when one small cheap piece of plastic breaks for your power windows, and the only thing they sell is an entire replacement package for $150?

 

[lxskllr]

I've thought of one plastic part: dog ears in a washing machine. Maybe 1% of the population would ever repair that themselves (though, it's a pretty trivial repair.) Otherwise, no. It's like saying "oh my, my computer's not working, because my video card went bad. I'll just print a new video card in my 3-D printer." Not gonna work. Many parts that go bad and need replacement are electrical. Other parts tend to be wear parts - and have to be made out of specific materials, not plastic. Let's look at something that gets a relatively large number of repairs: a car. Gonna replace those brake pads with plastic? How about those tie rod ends? I guess, if you break the ash tray in your car, you're in luck.

There's tons of uses for bespoke plastic parts. When you have the option available to you, you start to think of uses. I'd use a 3D printer far more than I used a regular printer

 

[Cpus]

holy shit. potentially change america. of course the price would have to come down.

http://m.gizmodo.com/5977593/a-3d+printed-hamburger-would-cost-you-300000

 

[edro]

You gotta think about all of the products that are made of light weight metal and plastic.
You could make replacement parts for any of those.

In ~20 years, when the machines are more advanced, so will plastics, resolution, colors, etc.

Outlet cover plate, toilet seat, utensils, tools, cell phone covers, picture frame, cups, measurement devices (cups, spoons, calipers), handles for any tool, custom trim piece, custom filler block for any project, customer fasteners (washers, screws, nuts), discrete sex toys!

The list is endless.

 

[NoStateofMind]

You gotta think about all of the products that are made of light weight metal and plastic.
You could make replacement parts for any of those.

In ~20 years, when the machines are more advanced, so will plastics, resolution, colors, etc.

Outlet cover plate, toilet seat, utensils, tools, cell phone covers, picture frame, cups, measurement devices (cups, spoons, calipers), handles for any tool, custom trim piece, custom filler block for any project, customer fasteners (washers, screws, nuts), discrete sex toys!

The list is endless.

Exactly! We haven't scratched the surface. I wish I could live long enough to see all the crazy gadgets people will be playing with 100-200yrs from now.

 

[NoStateofMind]

holy shit. potentially change america. of course the price would have to come down.

http://m.gizmodo.com/5977593/a-3d+printed-hamburger-would-cost-you-300000

We are seeing the early stages of the replicator up on star trek

 

[Jeff7]

holy shit. potentially change america. of course the price would have to come down.

http://m.gizmodo.com/5977593/a-3d+printed-hamburger-would-cost-you-300000

We are seeing the early stages of the replicator up on star trek

Apple iFoods.

Oh god...then we'll have copyright wars over food program files.


But, at least you'll always have free access to the program for GNU meat. :sneaky:

 

[BladeVenom]

Apple iFoods.

Oh god...then we'll have copyright wars over food program files.

Recipes aren't copyrightable.

 

[Jeff7]

Recipes aren't copyrightable.

"Mom®, Love®, and Screen Door® are registered trademarks of MomCorp."


And a recipe is more of a macro-level thing. Suppose you wanted to deal with the molecular level of something? The laws as-written probably don't address that. If there's enough money to be made, someone will breed an army of lawyers worthy of Mordor.

 

[KeithTalent]

Here you go guys: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:17773

KT

 

[AMCRambler]

I don't think your average bear will be smart enough to design the 3D part in CAD. Some people will be able to do it though.

If a huge repository of part designs was freely available then yes, I could see it becoming a household fixture. They'd have to be as cheap as an inkjet and as simple to operate though. From what I've read, they're fairly tricky to use in their current form.

The other problem with them is that I think people have already made functional firearm parts using them. Just to prove it could be done. That has a whole can of worms attached to it.

 

[mizzou]

This will be as common place in a home as a lathe.

PERIOD.

I don't think Pizza is saying it couldn't be useful, it's just that it is very difficult to justify the use of it as something other then a really expensive way to make cheap shit.

 

[zinfamous]

3d printers are great for prototyping, that is about it. Actual usable items need to be manufactured.

yep.

the current materials that are used are far too porous and brittle for any serious objects or devices. One of our colleagues has one (had to spend that HHMI money on something... ), and they were hoping to use it to make a vessel for a specific shearing (DNA) protocol. I think it was shearing--could have been something else.

Needless to say, if you expect to be able to hold liquids in these things, especially for sensitive projects, you will be disappointed.

 

[lxskllr]

Robohand: How cheap 3D printers built a replacement hand for a five-year old boy

http://arstechnica.com/information-...t-a-replacement-hand-for-a-five-year-old-boy/

 

[Cpus]

filabot turns your plastic junk into 3d printer "ink"

http://www.wired.com/design/2013/01/filabot-plastic-recycler/

 

[NoStateofMind]

filabot turns your plastic junk into 3d printer "ink"

http://www.wired.com/design/2013/01/filabot-plastic-recycler/

So it begins! Or rather continues! Just as I was thinking (great minds think alike ) using disposable material to provide elements needed to replicate. Well plastic is done. Who's gonna work on a low heat metal?

 

[BladeVenom]

filabot turns your plastic junk into 3d printer "ink"

http://www.wired.com/design/2013/01/filabot-plastic-recycler/

I already posted that on the previous page.

 

[wirednuts]

I've thought of one plastic part: dog ears in a washing machine. Maybe 1% of the population would ever repair that themselves (though, it's a pretty trivial repair.) Otherwise, no. It's like saying "oh my, my computer's not working, because my video card went bad. I'll just print a new video card in my 3-D printer." Not gonna work. Many parts that go bad and need replacement are electrical. Other parts tend to be wear parts - and have to be made out of specific materials, not plastic. Let's look at something that gets a relatively large number of repairs: a car. Gonna replace those brake pads with plastic? How about those tie rod ends? I guess, if you break the ash tray in your car, you're in luck.

if it was an atomic printer though... ....

 

[NoStateofMind]

yep.

the current materials that are used are far too porous and brittle for any serious objects or devices. One of our colleagues has one (had to spend that HHMI money on something... ), and they were hoping to use it to make a vessel for a specific shearing (DNA) protocol. I think it was shearing--could have been something else.

Needless to say, if you expect to be able to hold liquids in these things, especially for sensitive projects, you will be disappointed.

We can't look at the current crop of 3D printers in the same light that they will become. There are so many hurdles to overcome but I believe they will be overcome in time. As more and more money is poured in and minds collaborate to achieve these goals we have the ability to transform how business is conducted on a global scale in say ~20yrs. Now thats assuming that the world embraces it and theres not some sort of corporate push back. I do grant you we have a long way to go but I also know 3D printing is in its infancy kind of like when we made the first transistor. We knew it would eventually transform our world but the breadth of it was unimaginable. Thats just my opinion of course. Only time will truly tell.