The Availability Of 3D Printing

3D printing is a very interesting form of manufacturing technology in my opinion, and it will be awesome to continually watch where this technology is going to head in the near future. First off, vaguely, what is 3D printing? This manufacturing technology also referred to as additive manufacturing, is a form of manufacturing which allows for the creation of pretty much anything out of a large variety of materials. The process involved for this technology goes something like this: a computer designer or artist will create a CAD file, or 3D design to be used for manufacturing. This design will then be sent to the printer itself, or the machine that is used for actually “printing” the piece. The 3d printer will then take the 3D design into account when creating the product, as it uses a CAM system, or computer aided manufacturing system. When it finally comes down to actually creating the piece, the printer itself will start constructing it layer by layer. These machines work through various methods, but one of the most popular methods involves laying down small layers of material down at a time, and stacking the layers to form a final piece. These layers are usually smaller than half the diameter of a human hair! Those detail levels are pretty high! When thinking of 3D printing, consider this: if a model can be designed on the computer by a designer or artist, it can likely be created through 3D printing. You can create pretty much anything.

Fortunately, 3D printing has been become much more available to the everyday user. Since the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, this technology has been restricted to labs, universities, and some specialized manufacturing plants. These 3D printers have definitely been very expensive, and some still are very expensive. However, since the dawn of the “maker movement”, quite a few consumers have been jumping on the idea of this technology known as 3D printing. Various demographics have been migrating to try this technology. 3D printer manufacturers like Objet, Stratasys, and Makerbot have been taking advantage of this demand, and have been placing printers in the hands of consumers. The home printer movement has been on a solid rise, and it has given the capability of manufacturing to the masses.

Some machines offering 3D printing traditionally (and still) cost around the proximity of $500,000. Some of the home printers have been staying at prices less than $25,000. Some of these printers have also been placed under $10,000. At the same time, other printers have been priced at less than $2,000. Some even under $1,000! The trend is showing that companies are trying to place these printers in the hands of consumers for less than $5,000, to not only advance the technology but to increase popularity. Everyone loves the ability to manufacture things, and it is becoming evident in sales and the stock market for 3D printing corporations. The idea known as 3D printing is definitely gaining a good amount of momentum! Sooner or later, we’ll be able to drive up to office depot or best buy to pick up a printer!