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Worthless: 3D printing is nothing but a nerd fad that won't leave hobbyist workshops.

6 (3%)

Unimportant: 3D printing will become common but won't be useful for much other than tiny full plastic objects.

8 (4%)

Minor Importance: 3D printing will function as a light industry that will coexist with existing manufacturing methodologies.

43 (21.4%)

Moderate Importance: 3D printing will challenge and slowly replace a large number of existing manufacturing businesses.

104 (51.7%)

Major Importance: 3D printing will completely flip the table on conventional manufacturing and quickly destroy existing business for anything you can make with them.

20 (10%)

Critical: 3D printing will disrupt conventional ideals of work and money so much that they collapse and are replaced in a paradigm shift.

20 (10%)

Total Members Voted: 199

[Scoops Novel]

Hmm, but a lots going to depend on the input, particularly in developing countries. If we ever get generica materials for advanced goods, then yep, much will change if not. If not, it will be much more gradual.

[mainiac]

NASA wants to print food from base components: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/nasa-asks-could-3-d-printed-food-fuel-a-mission-to-mars/2013/05/21/76fc3668-c224-11e2-914f-a7aba60512a7_story.html

What I think is interesting about this application is how it would affect the political economy of food aid to lawless areas.  If the aid station only has food of this kind then it would not just simplify transportation, but also security.  The base foodstuffs could easily be selected to be inedible, meaning that they can't be stolen and sold.  So then you only need to protect your giant food printer for the masses from theft, an easier task.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

It's really not surprising. A 3D printer would be a very useful tool for creating self-sufficent space habitation.

[DWC]

I see 3d printing as mostly a stop-gap or replacement for what CNC machines and traditional machinists do. They are not suited for mass-production, a 3d printer is good if you need to replace some plastic part that isn't mass produced or readily available.

In major industries this is a big deal, because one stupid part failing on a 60 year old machine with no replacement parts handy can end up costing a business absurd costs while it's inoperable. A 3d printer is a really easy way to fabricate items quickly without the hassle of commissioning something from a machinist or diverting other resources.

As for revolutionary, I doubt it. They might get cheap enough for most people to afford, but Americans own enough cheap plastic shit anyways and it'd probably be cheaper to just buy that thing then using up your expensive cartridges. I don't know what use anybody would have for one unless they were a hobbyist,

[Ameablable]

NASA wants to print food from base components: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/nasa-asks-could-3-d-printed-food-fuel-a-mission-to-mars/2013/05/21/76fc3668-c224-11e2-914f-a7aba60512a7_story.html

firstly, kinda gross, i've brought up my views on that before.

secondly, i think a regular plastic 3d printer might also be usefull for nasa, if a part malfunctions, print out a new one!

[10ebbor10]

Unfortunately, 3D printers are fairly large and complex, so it would only work for very large, manned missions.

[Ameablable]

Unfortunately, 3D printers are fairly large and complex, so it would only work for very large, manned missions.

like a trip to Mars perhaps.

[10ebbor10]

Unfortunately, 3D printers are fairly large and complex, so it would only work for very large, manned missions.

like a trip to Mars perhaps.

Not really. During the trip to Mars, you can't get supplies, so you'd need to take the 3D printer with you, as well as it's resources. On top of that, repair midflight is rather hard, and well you're taking a duplicate of every system anyway, if it breaks in a way you can't fix.

Also, a mission to Mars wouldn't be long, nor large enough. (Also, very expensive, and with a tremendous weight limit)

[Ameablable]

wouldnt be long enough? i thought it took a long time :S

[10ebbor10]

wouldnt be long enough? i thought it took a long time :S

Roughly 3 years back and forth. Most space based technology survives longer than that.

Also, each component already has a spare designed in. Even with a 3D printer that's needed, because repairs can take a fairly long time, and sometimes things fail spectaculary.

[Ameablable]

so if it fails twice they are boned?

[DWC]

Each component of a space craft has something like 5+ redundant systems built in (each of which is the best possible quality). Same way with military aircraft. It's the main reason they are so extraordinarily expensive.

Maybe if 3d printing could replace some of the redundant system, it could bring down the expense some, but really, these are high-end and complex components, not some cheap plastic crap widget you can produce in a 3d printer, or even an entire CNC machine for that matter. You'd also have to train astronauts to refurbish these components and not just replace the entire part. Which I imagine would add significantly to their already extensive training requirements.

[misko27]

Can't believe I've missed this thread until now.  I'm sure I'm not saying anything new, but this is the way I see it.

The real revolution of 3d printing will be a complete obliteration of the traditional producer-consumer economic relationship. 

Yep. You one of those i see?


TO be honest, who has the internet effecting? I mean, it has changed tremendously, but it hasn't, moved the world, so to speak.

Factories are much different then what they once were, They will be managed by higher-paid workers, who organize the machinery. Yes,

so if it fails twice they are boned?

Essentially. Although they might be boned the first time around depending on what happens. Shit is difficult.

Each component of a space craft has something like 5+ redundant systems built in (each of which is the best possible quality). Same way with military aircraft. It's the main reason they are so extraordinarily expensive.

Maybe if 3d printing could replace some of the redundant system, it could bring down the expense some, but really, these are high-end and complex components, not some cheap plastic crap widget you can produce in a 3d printer, or even an entire CNC machine for that matter. You'd also have to train astronauts to refurbish these components and not just replace the entire part. Which I imagine would add significantly to their already extensive training requirements.

Which is to say, not for a while will we see these in space. Space is a really harsh place.

[10ebbor10]

There were suggestions for 3D printing in space. Mostly, low tech 3D printing used to let a robotic workforce build the frame of a moonbase.

[misko27]

There were suggestions for 3D printing in space. Mostly, low tech 3D printing used to let a robotic workforce build the frame of a moonbase.

Now the moon is a little different. It's not exactly space. There is some protection against the elements of the Void there.