3D Printing With The Maker Movement

3D printing is a powerful technology that is playing a strong role in quite a few industries across the globe. Whether you’re in some form of engineering, a part of a marketing team, or involved within the medical world, 3D printing has the power to change your industry. There are various other industries affected by this technology, but let’s break it down. Any industry that relies on physical models & diagrams, or almost any form of manufacturing can use 3D printing. I’m not going to talk about a particular industry in this article though. Although 3D printing is playing a strong role within quite a few industries, let’s not talk industry. Let’s talk a movement. Let’s talk about 3d printing and the maker movement.

Before we even jump into that, let’s talk about 3D printing. What is it? What does this technology do? How is it relevant to the maker movement? Let me answer that for you. 3D printing is the layer by layer creation of virtually whatever you need to have made through a 3D printer. Essentially for this process to work, a 3D model will be made on the computer. A designer, artist, engineer, or whoever will have to create a computer generated image on the computer. This image, or 3D model, will be sent to the printer itself. Since the printer uses a computer aided manufacturing system, it is almost automated. As soon as the printer gets a 3D model, the operator essentially has to click “go” on the printer to work. So in a nut shell 3D printing involves the design of a computer image on the computer. This image will then be sent to the printer. The printer will then follow up by laying down the material layer by layer and you’ll have your product!

What is the maker movement? What the heck is that? The maker movement is a movement of garage programmers, builders, and nerds to be honest. This group of visionaries is very much responsible for influencing a huge chunk of the 3D printing industry, and making great use out of it! Some people within the maker movement are making spare parts to their broken gadgets. Some people are making great art through this movement, all from their garages.

3D printing is becoming very much available to the people on a home movement. Printers are becoming available for less than $3,000. Some are even closer to $2,000. There are even a few popular printers being sold for around $1,000, and a couple of them are being sold for even less than that! This kind of thing is great, as it is bringing technology to quite a few people that want it!

When a consumer wants to get his or her hands on a printer, it is very much possible through capitalism. There are tons of DIY printers out there for anyone to get their hands on. Having the ability to manufacture out of your garage with a 3D printer offering a computer aided manufacturing CAM system is a pretty significant feat.