Posted on 05/04/2013 10:43:08 AM PDT by LibWhacker
In June, Staples will become among the first major retailers to offer a 3D printer. It will also be among the first to offer an affodable one, with 3D Systems’ Cube 3D printer being sold for $1,299, the company announced on Friday.
Although $1,299 may seem expensive, there was a time when the cheapest dot matrix or impact printers cost more than that. The price will inevitably come down.
The Cube 3D Printer works with both Windows and Mac OS X. It comes with 25 templates with more available online.
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
Bookmark
Early learning in a new field. If I was younger, I'd be learning 3D design and every aspect of these things, which would guarantee a good career in the future.
In the late 70's and early 80's, people were asking, "What do I need a PC for? Those who bought early PCs and learned a little programming greased their careers.
Now you know why metal shops were removed from schools ;)
Well, YOU knew. But most don’t.
No. What does one do with a 3D printer? It is obviously new.
Prototyping lots of ideas that previously were impossible to do without significant investment in CNC technology for starters. And as materials, raw materials are adapted the sky is literally the limit.
The can’t (or wont) effectively stop cocaine or heroin; I suspect stronger plastics might be available if one want to pay for it.
As forms for molds and castings?
Print sealed pieces filled with Cocaine and let a drug dog try finding it ;)
Anything I imagine as long as the mold can take any heat/pressure/weight involved.
It's usually referred to as "cutting edge" technology.. because it makes your billfold bleed.
I can remember when the CD burner was first introduced to the public it was priced at $5000.
I paid $2000 for a 9 gig Seagate Barracuda SCSI hard drive in order to capture video. That was back in 1998.
3D printing, in my opinion, is going to be HUGE in terms of changing our society. I've started to refer to it as the 21st century's version of "modern day milling."
“They’ve been making knock-off copies of british rifles for over 100 years with a file, a hammer, and a rock for an anvil.”
Roger that. I bought a Pakistani goat-sticker at a market, and the quality of the steel is quite good. Those boys back in the hills are exceptional craftsmen.
Glad I own stock.
Norm, you seem to be knowledgeable about the subject. Is there any way these printers will be adding a hidden watermark to the object being printed? I was under the impression that the feds have this capability built into laser printers. Maybe it is just an urban legend but I could see them trying just that with 3D printers.
Nope as I said in another post I only have a somewhat more than basic knowledge of this subject. But I am sure others here can answer you knowledgeably.
I feel certain that Anthony Wiener, that admirable politician running for governor of New Yarkansas, has purchased one of these for which he’ll use to make copies of his infamous wiener.
Bookmarked
Remember “desktop publishing” — brought on by the Apple Macintosh? In 1984, we were saying: “Wow! Everyone can make posters, flyers, and pamphlets! We can even publish a newsletter, if we want! How revolutionary!”
Very few people then could even begin to imagine blogs, social media, Internet radio, YouTube, etc. Now, these new media are slowly, but surely, demolishing all traditional mass media. It really is revolutionary.
IMHO, we haven’t even begun to imagine where 3D printing will take us, in the next few decades.
Thank you for that information and advice!
Check out Www.shapeways.com and Thingyverse.
Cynthia Plaster Caster developed the tech for that 45 years ago. No need for a 3D printer, when a simple casting will do the job. However, a 3D printer can also handle scaling — the copy can be smaller or bigger than the original.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.