3D Printers, also known as Fabricators or “Fabbers.” Have you heard of them? There are a variety of techniques that slowly build pre-programmed objects in a variety of materials, varying in scale from hobbyists spraying thin resin films into fun shapes to airplane manufacturers preparing to bypass manufacturing limitations by “printing” airplane wings in heretofore impossible shapes. Some consider it could become a revolution on scale with the printing press, steam engine, or transistor.
The leading systems range in price from just under $25,000 to about $60,000 per unit. An annual maintenance agreement costs about $3,000 to $9,000 and vary by machine type. Materials range from about $1.50 to $2 per cubic inch of part (including infiltrant) for the materials from Z Corp. to $250 per kilogram for the ABS material for the Dimension machine.
On the lower cost end hobbyists are already able to build and run these machines (for about the cost/difficulty of maintaining a classic car, it would seem). For business, cost considerations can favor 3D printing over plastic injection molding for small runs – currently about 1000 units or less. One company even lets you print your World of Warcraft character as a 3D Plastic model, because it’s so easy to adapt the same machine to many different designs.
Coming to a desk near you? ...but maybe we should let Apple pretty up the case first.
The mind quickens with possibilities: as technology improves, more materials can be printed, and the costs come down, what could we do? I feel like fantasizing a little this week. What might happen when the technology is really, fully developed, perhaps in a few decades from now?
Loading ...