Jump On Board, 3D Printing is Here to Stay

A Brief History 

Boxy, grey, ugly. The first 3D printer was created in 1984 by Chuck Hull and looked similar to most other prototypes of the time. The world wasn’t quite ready for this technology, seeing it more as a sideshow, opting for focus on devices like the Nintendo NES and the original Macintosh 128k.

Fast forward to 2014, the 3D printer has come a long way from its 1980’s predecessor. These new printers have a sleek modern feel to them, and work seamlessly. There are a number of personal 3D printers on the market, ready for sale right now. This means the general public can increasingly access this incredible technology. Thanks to the ease and accessibility of these devices, the 3D printer market is primed to grow to a whopping $16.2 billion by 2018.

What’s All The Fuss About?

Recently people have been doing all sorts of crazy things with 3D printers. They’ve been printing guns, houses, and even organs. This is not some World’s Fair type expo of what could possibly take place in the future, this is happening now, or very soon!

3D printers also have functionality reaching beyond highly influential products. Thingiverse is an open source repository for user generated 3D designs, with designs ranging from jewelry to household items. 

Anyone armed with a printer has the ability to download a file, print the object, and use it in a matter of minutes. The real world implications of such a community are infinite.

Lets say you break the casing around the bulb of your favorite lamp. Without a 3D printer you either have to throw the lamp away and get a new one, or take it to a specialized store and wait for them to fix it. With the 3D printer however, you can quickly search for the model of lamp fixture, print it off, and fix your lamp for free from the comfort of your home.

This technology has implications beyond household items and items manufactured for personal use. The 3D printing sector could effectively neutralize the need for cheap manufacturing overseas, due to its relatively inexpensive cost and the universality of  the printers themselves. Theoretically companies can stop having to manufacture parts in countries in China and Indonesia, opting to merely purchase an industrial 3D printer and produce the parts themselves.

The sheer scope of applications of the 3D printer, coupled with its rising popularity and ease of use lead me to believe that this technology is much more than a fad. It is here to stay.

Is 3D printing technology just a fad or is it here for the long haul? Let us know in the comments!