Are you a Skeptic of 3D Printing technology?

[Brian_Krassenstein]

As with any emerging industry with game-changing potential, 3D printing has been shaking things up -- and meeting some skepticism along the way. Additive manufacturing is taking the world by storm, but its critics aren't always sure that this technology is all that it's cracked up to be. 3D printing organs, buildings, and electronics? What about intellectual property? 3DPrint.com's Brian tackles these and some other big questions he's faced as a participant on the news side of the industry (and an owner of several 3D printers himself). Check out his responses to these common questions and comments in the full article: http://3dprint.com/50017/3d-printing-skeptics/

[curious aardvark]

Actually the thing I wanted a printer for and use it most for, is designing and making things I can't buy.

And generally not complex or exotic (lol). Last thing I designed was a poop bag dispenser for my front porch that just slots on top of a power point we have there. We've currently got a 10 week old puppy. So poop bags are essential.
My mate then saw it and wanted one for his backyard. 2 minute redesign, so it could be screwed to any where and 2 hours later. Another poop bag dispenser.

I will freely admit to having been a frustrated mad inventor since i was a wee sprog. Frustrated becacuse I just don't have the patience for long term manual making of stuff projects. I took up wood turning a decade or two back, because it was 'instant' woodworking.
Take a chunk of tree, attach to lathe, poke sharp bits of metal at it and in a short while you've got a completed object, or occasionally if it escapes the clutch of the chuck - concussion :-)

So 3d printing is the holy grail of impatience to me. And openscad just perfectly fits a slot in my brain that other design packages never have. I can knock up simple designs in minutes and then print them.
It is absolutely amazing !
Make no bones about it this is pure science fiction stuff. And we can do it now !

So for me, while thingiverse and the other model sites are a great resource. I will often make my own thing before looking to see how everybody else has done it. And in the case of the stuff I've uploaded to thingiverse - nobody else has made it.
Occasionally, I make things because I can. My yoyo-mkII, one piece supportless design was made because I've been collecting yo-yos for 40 odd years and this was the first one I'd ever designed and made myself. And it's not bad.

So my main answer when asked why a 3d printer is very simple: To make things I can't actually buy.

And like brian - once people have seen some of the things I've made and seen the machine in action - they are sceptics no longer.

[bruna597]

Well, I think that IP is going to be flexibilized, simply because its reinforcement will be very difficult - since the ability to control what people print will be damaged.

[curious aardvark]

And once cheap reliable 3d scanning gets here - ip infringement won't be inforceable.

[bruna597]

Exactly. That's why I think that isn't fair always compare the IP revolution brought by p2p to the IP revolution the 3D Printing is bringing, since this last one is much more powerful.