What are the disadvantages of 3D Printing?

[curious aardvark]

Given that fdm has hundreds of different materials and I can accurately reproduce models to within a few hundredths of a millimetre with a cheap replicator clone.

Neither of those points makes any sense.
And that's without factoring in cured resin printing, sls, polyjet and metal printing.

I can't think of any disadvantages of a technology that puts the ability in a the hands of an individual that would previously have required an entire factory floor and a lot of people.

[orthoomaha]

One advantage I think is that almost everyone, even the non techy guy can do it with only the manuals or tutorials from the internet.

[Ter]

3D printed items are not as solid as manufactured items. Quality differs too, but it might be solved in time

[ralphzoontjens]

3D printing finds its value in prototyping and special, customized parts. Good quality can be reached but it is labor and time-intensive.
The main challenge right now is that 3D printing is not as plug-and-play as it may seem, and there is hardly any standardization, so a lot of expertise is delegated to the end user.

[alexrawlins]

I agree that the printing is still not plug and play, it requires a bit of monitoring that is not needed in many other manufacturing processes. It is certainly a significant change in materials and build options, and perhaps more importantly a standard file representation across manufacturers for digital use.

[bint]

There is the limitation of materials we could use for 3D printing. So far plastic is the most preferred choice since it can be deposited down to melted layers to form the final part. So strength cannot be accurately tested in many cases.

[MadMaxim]

Hm, that's an interesting question, I don't see any disadvantages...

[Ive]

I am trying to use the 3d printer but on the market is a lot of 3d printers that are low quality. My friend has two and always have some problem. Because they are low budget.

[curious aardvark]

With a little experience and some cheap mods, the right low budget printer is every bit as good as the expensive ones. But yeah if you pay £130 for a prusa i3 kit. Don't expect a titanium frame, hi-temp steel hot end and bearings made from spherical diamonds :-)

[agmtech]

I don't know in other countries, but here in Indonesia the use of 3d printers is still rare and only for specific purpose (not something that you can easily find around you in your daily life). IMO, the user-friendliness and its price are what most people here consider as disadvantages for 3d printers. Maybe due to the name is still "printer" then some people think it shouldn't be much different than conventional printers that print on paper