Currently viewing the tag: "systems"
When the company that helped invent 3D printing asks you if you want to be turned into a Star Trek statue, the only right answer is: “how soon?” Naturally, we immediately shot off a couple of selfies (front-facing and profile) and ticked off a couple of personal details: I wanted a phaser, naturally, and poor Tim got stuck in a red shirt, to help bring out the natural Riker in that beard of his. Sadly, we only had the option of the Original Series, in the lead up to launch, so you’ve got to use your imagination
Now that 3D printing — the process of making three-dimensional solid objects from digital designs — is available and affordable to individual consumers, it’s piqued a lot of interest across the tech space in the past few years. From scale models, gifts and clothing to prosthetic limbs, hearing aids and the prospect of 3D-printed homes , the possibilities seem endless
3D printers might one day be as common as inkjets, letting you conjure up plastic visions of whatever pops into your head. At least, that’s the vision of its promoters and there’s now a wide variety of models and form factors in the market ranging from sub-$1,000 price tags up to $3-4k for more sophisticated systems. But despite the obvious utility for designers, prototypers and the like, will less demanding users warm to the tech
Live from Expand: 3D Printing Goes Mainstream
Is 2013 the year that 3D printing goes mainstream? The technology is already decades-old, having been used to great effect in the world of industrial prototyping, but as more and more companies enter the fray, the world of consumer-facing printing seems less and less of a pipe dream. Is the world ready for a 3D printer on every desk?