Magic 3D printing technology

In the future, 3D printing technology can become a household utility such as electricity, water, internet . and will change consumer culture.

>>>3D printing technology fits in a suitcase

Now you can become a producer, create products from your own ideas easily through a solution called 3D printing technology .

Technology of the future

The advent of 3D printing technology brings a lot of promise. It allows anyone to create the product they want, with the only limit being the user's own imagination. Simply explained, this technology allows users to design an object using 3-dimensional graphics software (3D), then use a 'print' machine for that product to become an object. really. The idea of ​​this technology stems from fictional movies like Star Trek's astronaut film, with characters able to use materials that are easy to recycle, creating the required products. This technology has begun to flourish and grow rapidly among the enthusiasts of manufacturing and is applied to a variety of industries ranging from health to education.

It is no coincidence that this technology is called 'in' 3D. This phrase originated in 1995, when two famous MIT University students Tim Anderson and Jim Bredt 'hacked' an inkjet printer to be able to spray a glue mixture onto plastic powder, creating 3-dimensional geometric blocks. After many experiments, they were able to build a private brand, Z Corp, acquired by 3D System in January of that year. Since then, 3D technology has come a long way but it is only the beginning steps.

Unlimited application

Current technology product manufacturing companies, from Apple, Microsoft to Google, all use 3D technology in the research process. By constantly editing and printing them, designers can compare and evaluate the usefulness and practicality of product samples.

3D Printer Form 1 from Formlab, a successful project
nearly 3 million USD comes from Kickstarter community fundraising page.

Around the world, people have begun to tinker with the application of 3D printing technology into other areas, including health, with the ability to create fake parts for humans. 3D printing can help doctors quickly create healing solutions that are not too expensive or time consuming. Educators and researchers are also responding to the ability to create visual models or complex diagrams from 3D printing. 3D technology also appears in NASA projects, returning to its own roots: helping create space tools.

But the greatest potential that many people expect, is to turn 3D printing technology into a popular household appliance such as electricity, water and the internet. It sounds very fictional but if this technology achieves that success, it will break consumer culture. People will be able to create products for life instead of going to the store to buy them. In order to achieve this expectation, 3D technology has been 'defrosted' by two important areas: 3D printing services and 3D printer business.

The market flourished

At 3D printing segment for individual and corporate customers, perhaps Shapeways is the most outstanding. The company opened the service in 2008, allowing ordinary users and businesses to print 3D by sending a CAD (Computer aid design) file to their website. By posting guidelines and offering support services, Shapeways has encouraged hundreds of designers and businesses to create products from 3D printing and sell them. Products available on www.shapeways.com include millions of models, ranging from extremely sophisticated artwork to useful tools. Shapeways had a successful first step, opening a factory with millions of dollars worth of printers. The company was able to print large-sized patterns such as furniture, beds and cabinets, printed with 30 different materials from plastic to metal. Although this service has become more and more popular, it is still not easy for many people to learn 3D image design with CAD software.

The second segment of the 3D printing industry is the printer business, which is targeted at another user's needs. When most 3D printers are produced for large companies and businesses, some industry names have begun to see the potential of the desktop 3D printer market, or for individuals. Leading in this market is Makerbot, with a market share of 16%, including industrial 3D printers and cheap printers for ordinary users. Call it cheap, but these printers still cost a lot. Makerbot's Repicator is priced from $ 1,749 to $ 1,999, while Cube's own 3D System machine costs $ 1,299, the latest printer is Formlabs's Form 1, which starts at $ 2,500 . Makerbot has also opened. Thingiverse service door, allowing users to download more than 28,000 free designs.

For more than 25 years of existence, users have never been able to use 3D technology so easily. This market represents a new technology trend that will be able to dominate our lives in the future.