We’ve mentioned stereolithography, or 3D printing, on these pages several times in the last few years and now the mainstream media seems to have got the bug too: the NYT has an article that reviews the current state of 3D printing and the prospects that maybe one day we’ll be printing objects from our home. They say:
3D Systems, a pioneer in the field, plans to introduce a three-dimensional printer later this year that will sell for $9,900. “We think we can deliver systems for under $2,000 in three to five years,” said Abe Reichental, the company’s chief executive. “That will open a market of people who are not just engineers — collectors, hobbyists, interior decorators.”
Even at today’s prices, uses for 3-D printers are multiplying. Colleges and high schools are buying them for design classes. Dental labs are using them to shape crowns and bridges. Doctors print models from CT scans to help plan complex surgery. Architects are printing three-dimensional models of their designs. And the Army Corps of Engineers used the technology to build a topographical map of New Orleans to help plan reconstruction…
“You could go to Mattel.com, download Barbie, scan your Mom’s head, slap the head on Barbie and print it out,” suggests Joe Shenberger, the director of sales for Desktop Factory. “You could have a true custom one-off toy.”
Beam It Down From the Web, Scotty – New York Times
PSFK Articles On 3D Printing
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I run one of the companies mentioned in the article: Fabjectory – http://www.fabjectory.com
The article focuses on the hardware side of the equation, but doesn’t really get into the software side.
It’s a real challenge currently to create fabbable 3D models. Many of the tools available (Sketchup, etc) were originally designed for technical illustration and are ill-suited to this kind of use.
To make a comparison to the 2d print industry, right now the software is about the equivalent of the early typesetting software and publishing software, before the advent of easy to use word processors.
Fabjectory is attempting to bridge this gap by working directly with people who’d like to get things created and assisting them with cleaning up models, choosing the right methods, etc.
Thanks,
Mike Buckbee
Fabjectory Founder
mike [at] fabjectory.com
330.329.8016
May 8th, 2007 at 12:21 pm