Retail Store Closings

[Midpack]

Also, when will we see a 3-D printer that can turn out [-]a smartphone[/-] an AM radio? Oh, forget that, let's just see one that can print out a metallic object. Or must everything be made out of plastic?

3D printers have been "printing" metals for years, and several companies are printing electronic circuits though that technology is in its infancy. Just a matter of time.

https://youtu.be/anirwRP8eJU

 

[COcheesehead]

It will be a while before Amazon has a drone that can deliver a bag of manure to my backyard.

Also, when will we see a 3-D printer that can turn out [-]a smartphone[/-] an AM radio? Oh, forget that, let's just see one that can print out a metallic object. Or must everything be made out of plastic?

https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/now-can-print-metal-3d-printer-85255/

 

[ERD50]

3-D printing is great for custom or special low-volume objects, or maybe some objects not easily made by other mass production processes like stamping, molding, or simple machining. But it will not replace other methods for general production.

No matter how advanced 3D printing gets, it is still a serial process. There is just no way that a serial process of building an object up from materials (like the plastic or metal feed wire or powder), can compete with stamping out a metal sheet, or molding plastic.

But 3D printing will be a great advance for those areas where it is a fit, and new areas that simply were never practical by other means before. Just don't try to put a square peg in a round hole.

-ERD50

 

[jazz4cash]

You just reminded me of my major pet peeve with Target, upselling the Red card at the end of the customer check out. I with my handful of items DO NOT want to stand there while someone opens a CC account...move em off to the side or open another register.

Went to Home Depot with spouse (rare event) so she could approve the color for the deck stain. The checkout clerk asked if she wanted to save 10% on her purchase and DW says "yes!", not realizing she was authorizing them to open a new HD credit card (even as the clerk punched in her info). I was shocked because she is generally unwilling to give any info ever but I guess she just thought it was worth it to save 10%

If the clerk had asked, I might have applied for the Red Card on a rare visit to Target, recently. I keep forgetting they now sell groceries. This store had about 6 self serve checkouts with only two being used and only one assisted checkout which had a short line.

 

[Meadbh]

3-D printing is great for custom or special low-volume objects....But 3D printing will be a great advance for those areas where it is a fit, and new areas that simply were never practical by other means before. Just don't try to put a square peg in a round hole.

-ERD50

Like making tiny medical implants for babies. Heart valves, for instance.

 

[athena53]

I don't know why i even bother with brick-and-mortar stores.

After being dropped one too many times (but protecting my phone) the case for my iPhone 5c was too broken to provide protection for the phone anymore. I went to a shopping center that included Target and Best Buy. Both had walls full of iPhone cases- but none for the 5C and very few for the other 5 series phones. I bought the phone right after it came out in May, 2014, which I guess makes it a quaint relic. More important to make sure that owners of 6 and 7 series can buy a pink one, a sequinned one, a camouflaged one...

So I went home and bought one off e-Bay.