I'd say it's in the spotlight. I've seen ads in my emails and most web sights here in the last week or so...it's everywhere. The Mojo. My friend who sells bulk pc stuff even had some ink the other day. he didn't even know what it was until I told him about it!
I think part of what is happening is that people are finally understanding the concept of 3D printing, thus are able to see all the different possibilities for applications, from early concepting to full production prototypes. Just a few years back, the costs for this technology were so high, it was really relegated to specific pockets in an organization and it didn't have much exposure beyond that small cadre of users. Also, without actually seeing the technology at work, it's really hard to conceptualize how you print a physical object. I agree with you, Rich, once you see the possibilities, it's pretty amazing.
Hey Rich. I believe it. I read they print in .007" layers. I am not sure what that adds up to in total tolerances, but being an ex-machinist I do know that a lot of "common" parts were +-0.010"...so that's 0.020" range. If they can hold that...very cool!
This is one of those technologies that will linger on the periphery for awhile, until more applications start springing up. Then we'll see an explosion in the use of 3-D printing.
Beth, yes the cost is coming down. Our school district bought one for our STEM program. I think it cost about $30K. What is interesting is that one of the student projects this year is a 3D printer. Yes, the students made one of their own. It is intersting to see how it works.
Developments in materials have made a big difference in driving forward the 3D trend, as we've covered at DN: http://www.designnews.com/document.asp?doc_id=237571 http://www.designnews.com/document.asp?doc_id=236261 I don't think it's going to remain on the sidelines much longer, although I'm not how long cloning kittens will take...
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A quick look into the merger of two powerhouse 3D printing OEMs and the new leader in rapid prototyping solutions, Stratasys. The industrial revolution is now led by 3D printing and engineers are given the opportunity to fully maximize their design capabilities, reduce their time-to-market and functionally test prototypes cheaper, faster and easier. Bruce Bradshaw, Director of Marketing in North America, will explore the large product offering and variety of materials that will help CAD designers articulate their product design with actual, physical prototypes. This broadcast will dive deep into technical information including application specific stories from real world customers and their experiences with 3D printing. 3D Printing is
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