Some rebuttals: 1) CAD is genuinely difficult True, but this barrier is lowering rapidly. Anyone can make simple items using programs like Autodesk 123D with

Some rebuttals: 1) CAD is genuinely difficult True, but this barrier is lowering rapidly. Anyone can make simple items using programs like Autodesk 123D with no training. Low-cost 3D scanners will also lower this barrier (see projects like http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/621838643/desktop-3d-scanner?ref=category http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/621838643/desktop-3d-sca...). 2) There is a lot more to industrial design than meets the eye Good design is hard, and the supply of designers is very limited. But most of the population has no reason to learn 3D design. Providing fiscal incentives to designers of novel products is crucial for expanding this base. More importantly, empowering more people to have ideas translated into physical objects will greatly increase the supply of casual designers. Have you ever shown a friend an object that you designed and 3D printed? It's magical in a way that photoshop is not. Don't underestimate the in-person viral factor for inspiring designers! 3) Mechanical engineering is a real science As in open-source software, 3D designs often build off of each other. Both in terms of remixing existing designs, as well as sharing printing profiles for different slicers. The 3D printing community is much more collaborative than traditional manufacturing institutions. Software in 3D printing is 'eating' the mechanical engineering world slowly but surely: no longer do you need massive amounts of capital to design and start selling a new product. The barrier to entry for product designers has lowered! 4) Manufacturing processes are not perfect – and won’t be any time soon Hence the need for curation and an easy way to find quality designers and printers....