Saturday, January 31, 2015
3D printing: Who’s investing now and what’s coming next
Tech News and Analysis: Printing has come a long way since Gutenberg and the first printing press in 1439. The printing industry has evolved from the golden age of printing blocks to modern 2D printers capable of mass-producing documents in minutes. We have seen these devices become an integral part of our lives, but today’s technology is taking them even further for the everyday consumer.
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4 comments:
I liked this brief update on 3d printing technology. It seems like I am always out of the loop being so busy on different projects of my own here at CMU. I'm always fascinated by 3D printing techniques and innovations. I don't think at least right now 3D printing is anywhere near being a consumer product or being the preferred way to make an object. I loved reading about what was coming next in the industry and how they are going to market it to more companies in order to expand the 3D printing community. I'm glad the 3D printing industry is continuing to grow and innovate ways for us to make our creations a reality.
Over the next several years as 3D printing becomes even more accessible, I wouldn't be surprised to see it become an expectation in certain fields. Just as students are frequently required to turn in hard copies of their papers and research, in the future I think 3D printing will become an integral part of learning. Instead of merely formulating an idea, students will have the capability to materialize their project. I also foresee 3D revolutionizing the business world, as people will be able to pitch more than just a theoretical idea. They will be able to have a physical mockup when applicable.
That said, as we are on the cusp of what could be a widespread 3D printing boom, there is a new necessity for people of all occupational types and fields to learn how to utilize 3D printing. The particular program skills and the ability to think in terms of 3D printing will need to be integrated into the basic core eduction already in place in schools.
If there is one thing to learn, it’s how quickly we can take technology to a whole new level. From the small machine we have in PTM, to now producing parts that will be used in aircraft and helping in the creation of prosthetics, it has most certainly changed in just a span of a few years. Sometimes it takes a while for a product to catch on. That’s possibly due to how developed the system might be. As progress is made in technology, the more accurate and refined the products can be. Ben Carter was telling me how they made a car using multiple 3-d printers at a convention he attended last semester. To be able to take the imagination and creativity to a whole new level is what helps create an active mind by not limiting ourselves to what has been done, but by what we will be able to do.
Humans, in general (and I know that this is a big dangerous generalization to make) but are very smart. We invented the 3D printer and many other innovative pieces of equipment that have truly changed the industry. However, I truly believe that as amazing as it is that we have all of these tools we need to slow down. I say this because we are simply moving way too fast for our own good. People keep creating incredible things like 3D printers, and then moving on to other projects. They are moving so quickly that they don’t tell us how to use these tools that we are given, and before we know it there is a whole new tool that we are buying that we don’t know how to use efficiently. For example, we have a 3D printer here at school, and I have never seen anything printed being used in productions, so why do we have it? This is why I think we need to slow down.
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