On Mon, Mar 5, 2018 at 11:51 AM, Bill Loguidice via vcf-midatlantic < vcf-midatlantic@lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
That "Homework question" reminds me a bit of the "Why do you need a personal computer?" question so popular in the late 70s through mid-80s. If we can only think of 3D printing as printing plastic/plastic composite materials at a relatively slow speed (and there are other types of 3D printing beyond the slower FDM type), then I think it's something of a failure of imagination. We couldn't really envision where personal computing was going to end up just a few decades after truly personal computers started to appear, and I don't think we can really envision where personal manufacturing is going to end up just a few decades from now. While I don't think we'll quite be at the Star Trek replicator stage by then, we already have the beginnings of fairly usable multi-material printing, including with food. I just think we can't limit ourselves to what's out there now.
Anyway, this concept of personal manufacturing may indeed fizzle out much like the concept of personal robotics did by the late-80's, but I tend to think there's something more there.
I really doubt this will fizzle out. But the fact remains, the industry for 3D printing is light-years ahead of the consumer market. It will remain so for the foreseeable future - all because of patents. The next generation of consumer 3D printers will still be a 'hand-me-down' from the industry technology - but only after the patents expire The computer industry - using microprocessors -- didn't suffer from this. For example, GE is already building jet engines with parts made from 3D printing And Nasa is building rocket engines also from 3d printed parts Mind you, these are not simple metal parts, these have extremely high stress factors and temperature resilience. Now this technology is very expensive naturally, but these industrial 3D printers aren't mass-produced as with microcomputers. The consumer market will always lag. -- _ ____ / \__/ Scotty, We Need More Power !! \_/ _\__ Aye, Cap'n, but we've only got 80 columns !!