Hype for 3D printing was turned up all the way to 11 at this year’s CES in Las Vegas - promising everything including“limitless possibilities”. There appears to be some substance behind the hype with several manufactures showing interest in the field. Strong competition in the sector bodes well for consumers. One of the highlights was ROBO 3D’s new R2 product lineup which introduces a set of mature consumer-friendly 3D printers stylish enough to sit on a desk while being affordable enough to buy for the office. The printer’s small form factor and Wi-Fi connectivity echoes how laser printers shrunk and shed wires during the last 10 years.
So
what would if I got one? First off, family and friends would probably receive
3D printed necklaces and broaches on all occasions! But more to the point, one could
at least start practicing 3D model making. My first introduction to 3D modeling
was a slog. 3D printing has a steep learning curve in regards to 1)
understanding the behavior of the printed material (too thin, too thick, etc.)
and 2) how to use the complex 3D modelling software. Learning both is an uphill
battle and the sooner one starts the sooner one will understand how to model
replacement parts for broken things around the house.
Left
unsaid in the glowing press coverage is the newly released printer’s failure
rate; an important metric in consumer 3D printing. In my experience failure
rates are still higher than normal when compared to other consumer goods. It’s
a bit random when your continuous printing process fails. Imagine if your
toaster burnt your toast 1 out of every 10 mornings; you’d think it’s a piece
of junk. But such failures rates are still common in consumer-focused 3D
printing, no doubt a facet manufactures are looking to reduce as a selling
point. I’d also really like to see a closed looped 3D printer; where the used material
can be recycled in the machine again. This – in my opinion - is sort of the
holy grail of rapid desktop prototyping.
No comments:
Post a Comment