4 ms·

the most obvious application is replacing parts - replacement battery covers, game/toy parts, buttons, small pieces of car trim, really anything smallish and pl

by gr3yh47 12y ago

the most obvious application is replacing parts - replacement battery covers, game/toy parts, buttons, small pieces of car trim, really anything smallish and plastic that gets lost or broken could be replaced with a 3d printer. potential replacement for non plastic parts too depending on the application. also customizing parts. Custom dice for games, etc etc.

smacktoward 12y ago
Are any of those things really a problem in an age of cheap disposable crap, though? Battery cover gets lost? Replace the whole thing. Toy breaks? Replace the whole thing. Button comes off your jacket? Replace the whole thing. (I'm not saying this is an ideal world -- I personally would much rather live in a world where things are long-lived but cost more -- but it's the world we live in.)
- kubiiii 12y ago
  3d printing is a way to extend a product's life. But I think it will prove useful for a repair guy/technician rather than for a hobbyist. Making small series of spares for a unsupported product is profitable vs used spares market. One example are vintage synthesizers. There is such demand for some spares that synths are being dismantled rather than repaired. Sometimes the upper C key (which is unique on a keyboard) can be sold for 50 bucks or more.
- riskable 12y ago
  I've been keeping a list of all the things I could have 3D-printed if I had a 3D printer. Maybe some of these will pique your interest: * Mounts for my washing machine's broken shocks (shocks were fine but the plastic part that holds them to the frame broke). $80/piece for whole new shocks or I could have just printed new mounts (which really are a stupidly simple snap-on component) for less than a dollar. * The knob on one of our standing lamps broke and won't stay on anymore. I can order a new one for $1.50+$4.95 S/H or I could have just 3D-printed a really cool/custom one for $0.05. * Lost some of the pieces in your Monopoly game? Just print some new ones. Heck, any gaming figurines can be printed trivially and there's a plethora of free, already-made ones to choose from. * Missing Lego parts. * Vacuum cleaner parts... I always wanted one of those wide under-furniture attachments but can't justify the purchase. If I had a 3D printer I could just print one. * Seriously cool-looking/unique ceiling fan blades (you can print them even on a small 3D printer since you can join multiple parts together on the back of the blade where no one will see). * Seriously cool/useful wall plates and switches. Example: http://www.yankodesign.com/2007/10/28/wall-cleat/ http://www.yankodesign.com/2007/10/28/wall-cleat/ * Collar tags for my dogs. Actually, whole collars. * Children's toys. * Halloween masks. * Protractors and compasses of any size on-demand. * Centering gauges of any size on-demand. * Custom Tupperware-like containers/boxes. * Phone cases.
  - marcosdumay 12y ago
    * Support for anything that you want to place somewhere the manufacturer didn't forsee. Whant to hang something that can only go on tables? Or put on a table something that must be hanged? Fans position is a problem? * Wire organizers. Really, why nobody sells a way to organize wires in storage? I built my printer for a side project, and up to very recently, anything that I printed that wasn't related to this project had the goal of improving the printer. Besides fixing broken stuff, that's what I printed at the last couple of months.
  - ObviousScience 12y ago
    I spend a lot of time socializing with people who build and develop 3D printers at a shop that operates 3D printers as a service. Printers include delta bots, Makerbot 2X, and a CubePro. Larger parts can be problematic on consumer quality 3D printers (particularly if they aren't being constantly fussed with). Very routinely 3D printer owners seem to have to put large amounts of time in to getting the printer to work correctly, and large complex pieces can take more than one (8+ hour) attempt. Most of the things larger than a phone case (and it's the height direction that seems particularly problematic) have trouble printing in some fashion or another. This means that several of the most useful applications just aren't there yet.
    - knicholes 12y ago
      I can't reply to the parent of this, so I'll reply here. PLA is considered food safe, but it can't handle the heat of a dishwasher. I know because of all of the cookie cutters I make for people. Washing makes them warp and brittle.
      - salgernon 12y ago
        From experience a pla cup with less than 100% infill will "drink" it's liquid into its interior and have to hope like hell that it hasn't been drinking milk or a substance that rots similarly.
  - smacktoward 12y ago
delecti 12y ago
The limitation to that logic for me is being concerned about having models for the missing parts. I've got a remote missing a battery cover that I'd love to replace, but I wouldn't have the faintest idea how to design a model for it.

by gr3yh47 12y ago

smacktoward 12y ago

Are any of those things really a problem in an age of cheap disposable crap, though? Battery cover gets lost? Replace the whole thing. Toy breaks? Replace the whole thing. Button comes off your jacket? Replace the whole thing. (I'm not saying this is an ideal world -- I personally would much rather live in a world where things are long-lived but cost more -- but it's the world we live in.)

kubiiii 12y ago
3d printing is a way to extend a product's life. But I think it will prove useful for a repair guy/technician rather than for a hobbyist. Making small series of spares for a unsupported product is profitable vs used spares market. One example are vintage synthesizers. There is such demand for some spares that synths are being dismantled rather than repaired. Sometimes the upper C key (which is unique on a keyboard) can be sold for 50 bucks or more.
riskable 12y ago
I've been keeping a list of all the things I could have 3D-printed if I had a 3D printer. Maybe some of these will pique your interest: * Mounts for my washing machine's broken shocks (shocks were fine but the plastic part that holds them to the frame broke). $80/piece for whole new shocks or I could have just printed new mounts (which really are a stupidly simple snap-on component) for less than a dollar. * The knob on one of our standing lamps broke and won't stay on anymore. I can order a new one for $1.50+$4.95 S/H or I could have just 3D-printed a really cool/custom one for $0.05. * Lost some of the pieces in your Monopoly game? Just print some new ones. Heck, any gaming figurines can be printed trivially and there's a plethora of free, already-made ones to choose from. * Missing Lego parts. * Vacuum cleaner parts... I always wanted one of those wide under-furniture attachments but can't justify the purchase. If I had a 3D printer I could just print one. * Seriously cool-looking/unique ceiling fan blades (you can print them even on a small 3D printer since you can join multiple parts together on the back of the blade where no one will see). * Seriously cool/useful wall plates and switches. Example: http://www.yankodesign.com/2007/10/28/wall-cleat/ http://www.yankodesign.com/2007/10/28/wall-cleat/ * Collar tags for my dogs. Actually, whole collars. * Children's toys. * Halloween masks. * Protractors and compasses of any size on-demand. * Centering gauges of any size on-demand. * Custom Tupperware-like containers/boxes. * Phone cases.
- marcosdumay 12y ago
  * Support for anything that you want to place somewhere the manufacturer didn't forsee. Whant to hang something that can only go on tables? Or put on a table something that must be hanged? Fans position is a problem? * Wire organizers. Really, why nobody sells a way to organize wires in storage? I built my printer for a side project, and up to very recently, anything that I printed that wasn't related to this project had the goal of improving the printer. Besides fixing broken stuff, that's what I printed at the last couple of months.
- ObviousScience 12y ago
  I spend a lot of time socializing with people who build and develop 3D printers at a shop that operates 3D printers as a service. Printers include delta bots, Makerbot 2X, and a CubePro. Larger parts can be problematic on consumer quality 3D printers (particularly if they aren't being constantly fussed with). Very routinely 3D printer owners seem to have to put large amounts of time in to getting the printer to work correctly, and large complex pieces can take more than one (8+ hour) attempt. Most of the things larger than a phone case (and it's the height direction that seems particularly problematic) have trouble printing in some fashion or another. This means that several of the most useful applications just aren't there yet.
  - knicholes 12y ago
    I can't reply to the parent of this, so I'll reply here. PLA is considered food safe, but it can't handle the heat of a dishwasher. I know because of all of the cookie cutters I make for people. Washing makes them warp and brittle.
    - salgernon 12y ago
      From experience a pla cup with less than 100% infill will "drink" it's liquid into its interior and have to hope like hell that it hasn't been drinking milk or a substance that rots similarly.
- smacktoward 12y ago

delecti 12y ago

The limitation to that logic for me is being concerned about having models for the missing parts. I've got a remote missing a battery cover that I'd love to replace, but I wouldn't have the faintest idea how to design a model for it.