Recently I’ve been getting a lot of use out of the little 3D printer I have at home, and have come to realize I use it just about exclusively for inventing things. Mostly little parts that are used to make other things. For example, the last few days I’ve been printing out fixtures for optical experiments, to hold things like mirrors and lenses in place.
I am quite happy with this 3D printer, and am finding it to be an invaluable part of my process of trying out different ideas. In its way it can be as useful as a whiteboard.
But I realize that this pattern of use doesn’t translate to anything that would likely be relevant to millions of people — any more than millions of people are going to find it useful to spend lots of time scribbling math on whiteboards or writing graphics programs in Java.
Which means my own use is not providing any insights into the following interesting question — and it would be great to hear someone else’s opinion on this: If everyone had a 3D printer at home, what would they use it for?
I think we would use the (currently existing types of) 3D printer to print action figures, parts for our table-sized castle model, reproductions of my wife’s sculptures, accessories for costumes, tunnel books (I could also do this if I had a laser cutter), replacement pieces for broken toys and appliances, and a custom clamp to hold my webcam to my computer.
Awesome answers!! So are you thinking of getting a 3D printer?
Those look like cool little devices! I didn’t realize that they had become so accessible for the home. Honestly, though, I suspect I usually wouldn’t have a lot of use for it beyond the initial playing around. However, if they develop home models of this one that “prints” in chocolate (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14030720) I might put that on my holiday wish list 🙂
Holding out for something of this resolution:
http://3dhomemade.blogspot.com/
Want to print digital sculptures and paleoreconstructions ala:
http://www.shapeways.com/shops/krentz
(Fantastic service from Shapeways btw)
I think the big usage case is for fixing/upgrading existing machines. I might find the pattern for a gas meter key when I can’t find mine, or fix a washing machine.
As buying new becomes increasingly the expensive option, I suspect that machines built to take printable parts will be preferred over purely proprietary models. This allows both fixing and upgrading.
I think this trend will be strongest in the developing world, where the cost of importing a new part is so much greater than the cost of manufacturing one, particularly if you can make it at the local printers. It also puts fixing and upgrading commonly used machinery in the hands of the people that use it.
The biggest gap, the biggest opportunity here? Education. Making the making possible.
I would really like to get one. I follow the news on them all the time. I’ve been waiting for the price to drop and the reliability and quality to increase. I’ll probably buy one sometime in the next five years.
My wife wants to print human-size enlargements of her 9-inch figure sculptures and then cast them in bronze, but there’s nothing on the market for that scale, yet.
If I would have an 3d printer at home I would find it exciting todownload of a scan of some original museum 10th century coin imitation, treasure box, or any other museum fetish and to have it directly in my daily use.
all in all I would love to have 3D prints of museum things I would love to use. unfortunaltely it existes only for unique projects.
http://www.factum-arte.com/eng/default.asp
Another answer:
http://www.gizmag.com/project-shellter-3d-printed-hermit-crab-shells/20272/