Personal 3D Printer

[Midpack]

There are several different technologies, the one in the video below is just one. I chose to attach this one only because it costs just over $1000, and it shows projects anyone might imagine. There's a segment on setup from about 1:43 to 3:14 you might want to skip, the projects are before and after setup in the video.

I found another one that "prints" 6 colors for $1299, though a different company/technology.

The parts that come off even these relatively inexpensive printers can be much stronger than you might guess. It's nothing like the VacuForms we grew up with at all - remember those?

There are already industrial versions that "print" not only various plastics but glass, steel and even titanium - in 3D!

I'm not suggesting they make sense today for most people, but I can imagine them becoming pretty common for personal use in 10-20 years with the way technology advances and costs fall these days? Imagine having a desktop 3D scanner and 3D printer - at home? All sorts of things we buy today, might be something you just inexpensively "print" yourself at home one day. We'll be sharing designs with each other, often at no cost.

Interesting IMO.

Affordable Desktop 3D Printer - YouTube

 

[Nords]

I'm not suggesting they make sense today for most people, but I can imagine them becoming pretty common for personal use in 10-20 years with the way technology advances and costs fall these days? Imagine having a desktop 3D scanner and 3D printer - at home? All sorts of things we buy today, might be something you just inexpensively "print" yourself at home one day. We'll be sharing designs with each other, often at no cost.

Prices are collapsing along a Moore's Law curve. A friend bought one last year for his kids' homeschooling projects and thought $1700 was a great deal. Of course I think he spends more time on it than they do...

My daughter and I visited a "GE Garages" demo earlier this year. It was awesome hands-on fun-- a half-dozen 3D printers to work with, several programming stations with group tutorials, a CNC lathe, and a welding booth. She learned more about welding (and did more of it) in an hour than I'd done in a decade of submarine duty.

I'd like to use a 3D printer just to fabricate replacement parts. In the time I spend troubleshooting a broken tool or appliance, and then researching the repair, and then finding/ordering the part... what if a laser scanner could produce the 3D model file and simply print it out?

 

[grasshopper]

Imagine a parts catalog that you punch a number in and the part is made right there in your home. WOW

 

[Midpack]

Imagine a parts catalog that you punch a number in and the part is made right there in your home. WOW

Absolutely. Wouldn't surprise me at all to see Amazon selling downloadable 3D print files for all sorts of parts. Pay a very small price, download a file and print a part in a matter of minutes. The washing machine coupling I just paid $23 for a month back, could have been printed at home in minutes today, we have all the technology today - just not cost effective yet. And one day I'd bet it will...

It's going to bring up some interest copyright questions. Can I legally print a (near) exact 3D copy of the knob off my oven/range?

And we probably better hurry up and get rid of money altogether before people are able to print coins...

 

[ERD50]

Fascinating technology. I think there was a thread a while back showing how Jay Leno is using this (well, his techs were) to make replacement parts for his car collection.

Imagine a parts catalog that you punch a number in and the part is made right there in your home. WOW

I understand that the military is doing this. Instead of carrying an entire stock of spare parts on a mission (or in space), you can just make a bunch of them as needed.

I like Midpack's idea of paying to download the file and printing. Imagine putting one in every post office, that would give better utilization, and still be convenient. Heck, then the PO could deliver it that same day. Maybe the USPS needs to get into new tech to offset the drop in mail?

-ERD50

 

[Midpack]

My apologies, I did not catch the earlier thread http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/3d-printer-56892.html

 

[ERD50]

My apologies, I did not catch the earlier thread http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/3d-printer-56892.html

? No reason to apologize. I'm glad you brought the subject up and started a thread. If there was rule that things could be discussed once, and only once, where would this forum be?

I just thought I remembered a Leno clip, couldn't even be sure that it was on this forum or elsewhere, and I wasn't going to take the time to search, just thought I'd throw it out there.

-ERD50

 

[Tyro]

I'm waiting for this one...

Nanofactory Animation - YouTube

They may not be all that far off... Responsible Nanotechnology: Nanofactories by [-]2010[/-]? 2020?

Tyro

 

[nun]

Imagine a parts catalog that you punch a number in and the part is made right there in your home. WOW

They already have that.....all you need is to hook up the 3D printer, although I can imagine there being some legal complications. Most companies have online catalogs with 3D models of parts and assemblies in various formats. I once spent hours modelling stuff and now I download the 3D CAD files and put them together to make a layout. For example here is a mirror mount that would have taken me a long time to model, but only takes a few seconds to download from the optical company's website. I only have to model original parts now.

 

[powerplay]

These printers look interesting. I wonder how long until they are sub $500?

 

[Midpack]

These printers look interesting. I wonder how long until they are sub $500?

Done. http://store.solidoodle.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=56

Did The Cost Of A 3D Printer Just Drop To $300? | OhGizmo!

 

[powerplay]

Done. Solidoodle 3D Printer, 2nd Generation
Did The Cost Of A 3D Printer Just Drop To $300? | OhGizmo!

Wow, I might get a lot more interested in this now!

 

[Midpack]

Wow, I might get a lot more interested in this now!

Or you could wait a few years and they'll probably be routine Christmas gifts...cost less and way more capable.

 

[travelover]

I'm curious what the properties are for the plastic shown in the first link - i.e. is it a fairly strong plastic like PVC or sort of soft and wimpy like HDPE?

 

[Midpack]

I'm curious what the properties are for the plastic shown in the first link - i.e. is it a fairly strong plastic like PVC or sort of soft and wimpy like HDPE?

I found a site that lists 100 base materials for all printers/technologies, but you asked about the OP link - ABS, PLA, ABS+ 3D Printing Systems – 3D Printer Filaments.

 

[pb4uski]

I wonder if like computer printers they will make the printers very affordable to encourage adoption and try to make their profits on the [-]ink[/-] plastics.

 

[target2019]

Makes me think of my purchase of the first Apple LaserWriter. It was around $4500, and paid back a lot of dollars over the years.

 

[Nords]

It's going to bring up some interest copyright questions. Can I legally print a (near) exact 3D copy of the knob off my oven/range?

The heck with the appliance parts-- can it print out a new front fender for the car?

Insurance companies have been following this tech very closely for the last few years.

 

[M Paquette]

One neat thing coming out of this are community labs that include 3D printing and more conventional tools, like big ole lathes and milling machines. We have several in my area, under the TechShop name.

http://www.techshop.ws/locations.html

They do charge for this, of course. $175 or one month, or $125 a month for long term access. There are family and student rates. These are becoming popular in the maker community.

 

[Lazarus]

I have a CNC router. No printer yet.

 

[Donzo]

This is so interesting! My dentist has a machine that creates your filling, cap or bridge while you wait using 3D technology. These products have incredible potential. I am going to start following their development. Thanks for the links!

 

[nun]

This is so interesting! My dentist has a machine that creates your filling, cap or bridge while you wait using 3D technology. These products have incredible potential. I am going to start following their development. Thanks for the links!

Theres been big advances in dimensional imaging that make that possible. With small cheap sensors similar to the ones in your cell phone it's easy to do structured light imaging of things... And that includes teeth. A grid of laser lines is projected on the thing you want to measure and by recording how it changes the grid shape you can derive an exact 3D model. That can then be used to create a CAD file for a crown and used as the input file for a 3D printer.

 

[someguy]

I can't help but think of the "replicator" on StarTrek.

 

[Donzo]

Theres been big advances in dimensional imaging that make that possible. With small cheap sensors similar to the ones in your cell phone it's easy to do structured light imaging of things... And that includes teeth. A grid of laser lines is projected on the thing you want to measure and by recording how it changes the grid shape you can derive an exact 3D model. That can then be used to create a CAD file for a crown and used as the input file for a 3D printer.

The company that corners this market could do very well. This is an international kind of product that everyone would like when they get to the right price point. I remember when only the folks with "big bucks" had a microwave....

 

[nun]

The company that corners this market could do very well. This is an international kind of product that everyone would like when they get to the right price point. I remember when only the folks with "big bucks" had a microwave....

This company is doing lots in the field

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