The Economist on 3D Printing, Again

Once again the venerable The Economist has published a series of articles on the topic of 3D printing and digital manufacturing. This publication has gone quite far to promote the technology, more than others. 

 

We'll bring three of their articles to your attention. First, they explain the fundamentals of 3D printing, which is still necessary as most readers still have no idea what 3D printing is all about. In fact, we still get a tickle from watching the expression on the faces of people shown a live 3D printer. 

 

The Economist then digs deeper and explains the key benefit of 3D printing over traditional mass manufacturing: the ability to customize unique products and do it rapidly. 

 

Finally a third article describes their vision of the future, in the form of a "Third Industrial Revolution", where digital manufacturing and design will strongly influence the manner of manufacturing in the 21st century to change it far beyond today's methods. 

 

Via The Economist, The Economist and … The Economist (Hat tip to James)

Forbes On 3D Printing

There's been a plethora of mainstream media talking about 3D printing lately, and we're not entirely sure why. Maybe the meme has simply spread wide enough that "normal" people are now starting to talk about it. We've experienced this too, where technically innocent relatives talk about something they saw. When grandmother talks about 3D printing, you know you've made it. 

 

Back to the Forbes article. It's again just an introductory piece, but with quite a bit of oomph: 

How 3D Printing Will Change Absolutely Everything It Touches

The sudden buzz about 3D printing and its potential has triggered a deafening din in the media and elsewhere

Soon – really – it will be possible to print out products at home ranging from appliance parts to shoes

yesterday’s factory is evolving into a global community of custom design and personal fabrication services

All may eventually come true, although one can argue about the timing of said events. 3D printing is indeed amazing, but let's try to keep things within sight of reality. 

 

At least for now. 

 

Via Forbes

MakerBot on CBS Evening News!

They've hit the big time, hopefully. Last night's CBS Evening News featured MakerBot's Cupcake CNC printer and a very brief segment with 'Bot mandarin Bre Prettis (left), who explained: 

  

A MakerBot is this magical device that turns ideas into objects... It's a new way of thinking about how we get objects. 

  

The report went on to explain to viewers the basics of extrusion-based 3D printing and showed several cool examples of printed objects, including the famous whistle - tested by Bre. 

 

A 15 year old student maker was interviewed, apparently demonstrating how simple it might be to use a MakerBot. Then the reporter further explained how inexpensive the device is (under USD$1000) and said that after shipping more than 1400 units "orders are arriving faster than they can ship out."

  

This is indescribably fabulous publicity for MakerBot, and we expect them to be swamped with new orders today. We're somewhat concerned, however, that some viewers may underestimate the skill level required to build and operate (and rebuild, and rebuild again) their new MakerBot. Hopefully they'll be able to hook up with a help-community, either nearby or virtual to get them through. Perhaps MakerBot should provide the necessary connections to the appropriate help groups, local maker communities, etc. with every shipment? 

  

Best part: A very cool time lapse of the Statue of Liberty being printed. 

  

Via CBS Evening News

Fashionable 3D Printing

A recent post by Core77 described how 3D printers are being used to produce one-off fashion shoes. While we are somewhat skeptical of the fashion score of these particular heels, the idea is interesting: print a newly designed pair of shoes each time you go out; recycle the material into a new pair for the next evening!

We suspect the number of 3D shoe designs might be exhausted within a few months, but on the other hand, there is Imelda.

Here's the interesting thing: the shoe-printing idea seems to have spread beyond the tech space. We noticed a followup article posted on "Diary of a Smart Chick", in the "Fashion" category, where writer Kathryn Vercillo muses on the amazing ability to create fashion right in your own home:

These printers have come down in cost enough to be accessible to small and mid-sized businesses today. Wouldn’t it be neat if they eventually come down in price far enough that individual people like you and me could have these types of printers in our homes. One product that we might want to design and print could be shoes.

Could we be seeing the leading edge of 3D printing knowledge starting to hit the mainstream?

Via Diary of a Smart Chick, Core77

Matthew du Plessis on 3D Printing

Matthew du Plessis, columnist at the Times Live, provided his thoughts on the world of 3D printing. While he begins with the obligatory comparison to Star Trek replicators ("Tea, Earl Grey, Hot!"), he then recognizes the potential of the future: 

 

... I think it's fair to say, without any hyperbole or undue exaggeration, that recent, current and ongoing developments in manufacturing spell the doom and imminent demise of the entire manufacturing industry.

 

Or, if you insist that's a step too far, then concede at least that it's the end for the business models involved in creating, marketing, distributing and selling physical products. Because, you see, in what might be the biggest game-changer in the industry since Henry Ford switched on the assembly line, the manufacturing process is moving out of the factory and into the home.

 

We think we're not as close to this point as du Plessis suggests, but we're on our way there. Printers continually improve in performance, quality and price; print services attempt innovative approaches; vast libraries of 3D models grow; and software design tools become easier to use. Perhaps in five to ten years we'll begin to see significant changes in business models, but it begins with awareness. 

 

Via Times Live

Prototek Manufacturing

CNBC and Fox Business News recently aired a segment of "21st Century Business" in which Prototek Sales Manager Dennis Rocheford explained a bit about his company. Originally in the sheet metal rapid prototyping prototyping business, they've been expanding their capability and now include stereolithography and 3D printing with ZCorp machinery.

Prototek is a large rapid prototyping company that provides a wide variety of rapid prototyping capabilities, including engineering, CNC laser/punch/form/bend/machining, shearing, graining, welding, finishing, etc.

Two interesting aspects to this: We can see a traditional manufacturing company starting to introduce new 3D manufacturing methods beside the traditional CNC equipment; Mainstream media is picking up on the technology once again.

Via Prototek

3D CSI

The popular crime TV show, CSI: NY, recently featured a 3D printer in an episode. In this sequence, CSI Detective Mac Taylor in white lab coat is using a powder-based 3D printer to reproduce a bullet apparently embedded in a horse, in order to identify the bullet. (Who writes this stuff???)

We suppose one could actually do this, but probably there are better ways to identify a bullet. Maybe Mac should just look at the 3D model instead?

Via YouTube

MakerBot Peeks into Mainstream

 

Crain's New York Business.com has published a mainstream article on MakerBot, makers of the first affordable and easy-to-use 3D printer kit.

We're very pleased to see articles like this, which bring 3D printing tech to those who've never had exposure. Fabbaloo readers have likely had the experience of explaining current 3D technology capabilities to neophytes, only to have them express their disbelief and mumble something about Star Trek. But it's really true, we are beginning the building of actual replicators.

And everyone should know it.

Via Crain's NY Business