3D printing is overrated?

[mooncake]

What is the big deal about 3D printing?
With all the hype, it seems that 3D printing is coming in a big wave. But I have yet to see an industry or a company adopting it in a large scale.

If I want to make a football, can a 3D printer "print" it?
Fundamentally, I suppose 3 items are required: a 3D printer, a design blueprint and the printing material.

Can there be a "generic" 3D printer that can print anything? Can the 3D printer print out components that form the football like interior fillings, exterior rubber and the threads that hold everything together?
Will the consumer need to provide the design blueprint himself or will a company provide it? Can the 3D printer accept the design blueprint?
Obviously, the football cannot be made of plastic. Does it mean that interior fillings, exterior rubber and the threads all need to be provided?

Through this football example, I am trying to show that 3D printing is impractical.

I cannot see the usefulness of 3D printing. Can you?

[Mike Christ]

I hear you can print medical devices.  Anyway, I think it's useful for circumventing expensive patents.

[mooncake]

I hear you can print medical devices.  Anyway, I think it's useful for circumventing expensive patents.

If the medical devices have multiple parts, the 3D printer will need to first print out these parts and then assemble them together. If the hospital undertakes this job, the hospital is not just an user but becomes a factory as well. The hospital will also need to keep a repository of all design blueprints, a variety of 3D printers (assuming each 3D printer print a limited set of medical devices) and a variety of printing materials.

For the patents, if there is just a single or a few components and the design blueprint is available, then it is useful.

[Haidang1796]

I have the same opinion :v it's not the greatest invention of all time. it's kinda annoying when people keep discussing about it

[hilariousandco]

What is the big deal about 3D printing?
With all the hype, it seems that 3D printing is coming in a big wave. But I have yet to see an industry or a company adopting it in a large scale

I think it's a pretty amazing concept and could be revolutionary, but I've not really seen one in action yet. I'm sure they'll be a mixed blessing ie people making shoddy guns / items and injuring themselves with them, but being able to manufacture other things like tools and medical devices could be incredible.

[Welsh]

It's a amazing piece of technology. Obviously, if you haven't got any use for them then there's no point even talking about it. For the people who can make use of them they are very helpful and handy to have. It's very early days yet.

[Lethn]

In it's current state it isn't very impressive but the idea is that once the technology gets advanced enough and people experiment more you'll be able to make all sorts of extremely difficult to construct and small or big components that would normally take months to build properly and with quite a lot of people or machinery. It's probably going to have the same affect as using robot arms etc. to build cars had on the motor industry which is why people are so excited about it.

I'm not going to be watching it too closely myself until I see the 3D metal printing building the components for a jet fighter and halfing the costs for a lot of the big vehicles out there, I've already seen showcases for Jewellery pieces that have been made through 3D Metal Printing.

[mooncake]

I have the impression the technology is pretty amazing too from all the hype from the media.

But when I think deeper, I cannot find its usefulness.

When something is not useful, how can it be amazing? 

[yatsey87]

What is the big deal about 3D printing? With all the hype, it seems that 3D printing is coming in a big wave. But I have yet to see an industry or a company adopting it in a large scale.  If I want to make a football, can a 3D printer "print" it? Fundamentally, I suppose 3 items are required: a 3D printer, a design blueprint and the printing material.  Can there be a "generic" 3D printer that can print anything? Can the 3D printer print out components that form the football like interior fillings, exterior rubber and the threads that hold everything together? Will the consumer need to provide the design blueprint himself or will a company provide it? Can the 3D printer accept the design blueprint? Obviously, the football cannot be made of plastic. Does it mean that interior fillings, exterior rubber and the threads all need to be provided?  Through this football example, I am trying to show that 3D printing is impractical.   I cannot see the usefulness of 3D printing. Can you?

I think you're looking at this wrong. Your argument is like saying a smoothie maker can't make a cup of coffee therefore it's useless.

[hilariousandco]

I have the impression the technology is pretty amazing too from all the hype from the media.

But when I think deeper, I cannot find its usefulness.

When something is not useful, how can it be amazing? 

You cannot be thinking very deep. How is it not useful? I'd say the technology is pretty amazing, and will only get better.

[mooncake]

I have the impression the technology is pretty amazing too from all the hype from the media.

But when I think deeper, I cannot find its usefulness.

When something is not useful, how can it be amazing? 

You cannot be thinking very deep. How is it not useful? I'd say the technology is pretty amazing, and will only get better.

I had thought that it was useful from all the media hype. But really, I cannot find good examples of useful objects that have been created from 3D printing. If you know some of them, please name them.  

[mooncake]

What is the big deal about 3D printing? With all the hype, it seems that 3D printing is coming in a big wave. But I have yet to see an industry or a company adopting it in a large scale.  If I want to make a football, can a 3D printer "print" it? Fundamentally, I suppose 3 items are required: a 3D printer, a design blueprint and the printing material.  Can there be a "generic" 3D printer that can print anything? Can the 3D printer print out components that form the football like interior fillings, exterior rubber and the threads that hold everything together? Will the consumer need to provide the design blueprint himself or will a company provide it? Can the 3D printer accept the design blueprint? Obviously, the football cannot be made of plastic. Does it mean that interior fillings, exterior rubber and the threads all need to be provided?  Through this football example, I am trying to show that 3D printing is impractical.   I cannot see the usefulness of 3D printing. Can you?

I think you're looking at this wrong. Your argument is like saying a smoothie maker can't make a cup of coffee therefore it's useless.

 

[guybrushthreepwood]

I have the impression the technology is pretty amazing too from all the hype from the media.

But when I think deeper, I cannot find its usefulness.

When something is not useful, how can it be amazing? 

You cannot be thinking very deep. How is it not useful? I'd say the technology is pretty amazing, and will only get better.

I had thought that it was useful from all the media hype. But really, I cannot find good examples of useful objects that have been created from 3D printing. If you know some of them, please name them.  

Use your imagination. What they can make is limitless. Somebody already mentioned surgical equipment.

[hilariousandco]

I have the impression the technology is pretty amazing too from all the hype from the media.

But when I think deeper, I cannot find its usefulness.

When something is not useful, how can it be amazing? 

You cannot be thinking very deep. How is it not useful? I'd say the technology is pretty amazing, and will only get better.

I had thought that it was useful from all the media hype. But really, I cannot find good examples of useful objects that have been created from 3D printing. If you know some of them, please name them.  

You could make spare parts for machines that aren't in profuction any more. I'm sure people will build their own cars with them etc. As Guybrush said, their potential really is limitless. Well, unless you want to make a football  .

[Welsh]

Honestly, if you can find a need for them, they are well worth the money. They are going to be a big part of our future as the technology gets better. 3d metal printing as mentioned would be a huge leap forward.

[LiteCoinGuy]

i think its UNDERrated! when you think of the possibilties and look in the future , amazing!

[hilariousandco]

i think its UNDERrated! when you think of the possibilties and look in the future , amazing!

Exactly. Just think of all the open source blueprints that will be available to download. It's quite exciting.

[mooncake]

I had thought that it was useful from all the media hype. But really, I cannot find good examples of useful objects that have been created from 3D printing. If you know some of them, please name them.  

Use your imagination. What they can make is limitless. Somebody already mentioned surgical equipment.

Let's try to show that 3D printing is useful.

Suppose the surgical equipment here is a surgical knife. Now that would be easy to make since there is just one component and that component is the knife itself. Suppose also the hospital has the surgical knife 3D printer, the design blueprint and also the metal raw material, would the hospital want to "print" out the surgical knife?

Now, let's extend this to other surgical equipment. Would there be a need for hospitals to "print" out any surgical equipment?

[Welsh]

i think its UNDERrated! when you think of the possibilties and look in the future , amazing!

I agree. It's a young product which already has stunned a lot of people around the world, anyone who has had this piece of kit must be impressed.

[hilariousandco]

I had thought that it was useful from all the media hype. But really, I cannot find good examples of useful objects that have been created from 3D printing. If you know some of them, please name them.  

Use your imagination. What they can make is limitless. Somebody already mentioned surgical equipment.

Let's try to show that 3D printing is useful.

Suppose the surgical equipment here is a surgical knife. Now that would be easy to make since there is just one component and that component is the knife itself. Suppose also the hospital has the surgical knife 3D printer, the design blueprint and also the metal raw material, would the hospital want to "print" out the surgical knife?

Now, let's extend this to other surgical equipment. Would there be a need for hospitals to "print" out any surgical equipment?

Well, yes why wouldn’t they use it if they had it?

Imagine if you're in a remote location and you need a tool or some specific surgical equipment but you don't have it. You download the blueprints, print it off, and there you have it. Same goes for spare parts etc.