3 ms·

3D Printing. I believe 3D printing will change the world in less than twenty years. We currently in the hobby-est stage–think home computers in the later 70's

3D Printing. I believe 3D printing will change the world in less than twenty years. We currently in the hobby-est stage–think home computers in the later 70's early eighties. It took a company to see the potential and package it up for anyone to use. I think there will be a breakthrough home 3D printer that will start whole new industries. You will be able to buy physical products direct from anyone. Anyone can design and sell a vase or a bowl or a boomerang because manufacturing and distribution are no longer barriers to market. Think of when music and video moved from mostly only possible with studios to being able to record at a studio to home recording. Anyways... I'm super excited.

mindcrime 6y ago
Can I say "I agree" but also add that there may be more to the story than 3D printing? That is, I'd call out "personal fabrication" in an even more general sense, to include both 3D printing and things like inexpensive, personal CNC milling machines and other "personal scale" fabricating devices. Even going as far as more highly specialized devices, like at-home reflow ovens for SMD soldering, and laser cutters. Heck, even items as exotic as plasma cutters are getting cheap enough that almost anybody can own one. See, for example, https://www.amazon.com/Reboot-Portable-Digital-Frequency-Inverter/dp/B0811VB27H/ https://www.amazon.com/Reboot-Portable-Digital-Frequency-Inv... Edit: I should also add something about the 3rd party fabrication / assembly services that are bringing a lot of capabilities to bear, for the average person, who would not have been able to afford them a few years ago. Look at OSH Park, OSH Cut, JLCPCB and the like. Need PCB's? Done. Need later cut metal parts? Done. There are similar services for injection molding, etc., etc., etc. I'm pretty excited about this space. I just bought my first desktop mill (so new I haven't even unboxed it yet) and my first 3D printer. And picked up a cheap Black and Decker convection oven to convert into a reflow oven about the same time. Definitely excited to start exploring the intersection of all of these tools for "building things" without needing a full fledged machine shop, wood shop, yadda, yadda, yadda.

mindcrime 6y ago

Can I say "I agree" but also add that there may be more to the story than 3D printing? That is, I'd call out "personal fabrication" in an even more general sense, to include both 3D printing and things like inexpensive, personal CNC milling machines and other "personal scale" fabricating devices. Even going as far as more highly specialized devices, like at-home reflow ovens for SMD soldering, and laser cutters. Heck, even items as exotic as plasma cutters are getting cheap enough that almost anybody can own one. See, for example, https://www.amazon.com/Reboot-Portable-Digital-Frequency-Inverter/dp/B0811VB27H/ https://www.amazon.com/Reboot-Portable-Digital-Frequency-Inv... Edit: I should also add something about the 3rd party fabrication / assembly services that are bringing a lot of capabilities to bear, for the average person, who would not have been able to afford them a few years ago. Look at OSH Park, OSH Cut, JLCPCB and the like. Need PCB's? Done. Need later cut metal parts? Done. There are similar services for injection molding, etc., etc., etc. I'm pretty excited about this space. I just bought my first desktop mill (so new I haven't even unboxed it yet) and my first 3D printer. And picked up a cheap Black and Decker convection oven to convert into a reflow oven about the same time. Definitely excited to start exploring the intersection of all of these tools for "building things" without needing a full fledged machine shop, wood shop, yadda, yadda, yadda.