We are LIVING in Star Trek. You mentioned that Star Trek predicted replicators. People haven’t even considered what kind of construction projects you could remotely program a robot to do in tandem with this. A 3D printer could build basic materials, and a robot could assemble them with amazing speed.
A US military contractor patented [or was it merely a copyright?] exclusive rights to 3D printing of diamonds. We will have customized diamond-plated armor soon for tanks, choppers, jets, flak jackets, ship hulls. Unless something lighter and stronger comes up.
Further, we will have a robotic space colony and moon base equipped with 3D printers. Much easier logistically. You can transmit detailed instructions. Anything possible at that point. New alloys for example with zero gravity.
Another use of 3d printers is replacement parts and custom repairs. Antiques [including weapons] maintained indefinitely. You might need a robot in some cases though since only one kind of molecule can be printed at a time, at least until that is overcome.
Imagine a gigantic menu people could browse through. Custom offices, for example. [Or bunkers.]
A home printed in 24 hours. Imagine the potential to customize with a giganic menu listing.
Zoning building codes and over regulation is a major cause of the housing shortage.
In the USA.
Imagine. Someday you can get a 3D printed house with concealed spaces for firearms and the guns will be built right in place!
That's a rather glib leap of logic.
The 'shortage' is often simply substandard and/or dangerous dwellings due to corruption, theft, lack of code/code enforcement, etc.
If your problem is overpopulation, then creating more housing to accommodate even more overpopulation is madness. It's the fish-grow-in-proportion-to-aquarium phenomenon. Surely birth control and a cultural shift away from breeding like minks takes priority?
Cheaper to cut all aid to turd world countries.
Does anyone know if 3D printing is available in the Philippines? My wife and I are planning to build a house there within the next couple years for our retirement.
Call an engineer who is in the business of making and stamping house plans in his or her jurisdiction. Ask that person how much money and time would be necessary to have a so-called 3D printed house completed as compared to a similar stick-built or concrete house built to the requirements of the IRC.
;-D
Best way to possibly invest in this?
With Demonrats pushing to replace natural gas heating with electric, 3D metal gun printers, which produce copious amounts of waste heat, could be the ideal replacement home heater. Co-generation of heat and sintered titanium powder firearms could cover the cost of the electricity. Using limited energy resources to not manufacture something is a crime against humanity.