Printer printing printer parts

cc — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 02:41:03 +0000

3D Printers are becoming cheaper every day.

Nate Anderson at Ars Technica reports an interesting claim in this article about the legal and IP issues surrounding 3D printing technology. The makers of RepRap, an open-source 3D printing platform, claim that there are now more open-source 3D printers in operation now than there are commercial 3D printers. While the claim isn’t independently verified, it raises an interesting question: Will greater availability of inexpensive hardware create the critical mass of users that allow 3D printing to become a part of regular peoples lives? A lesson may be drawn from a similar revolution just ten years ago.

In the late 90′s, faster processors and broadband penetration predated the digital music revolution by several years. It was only after distribution channels (Napster) and presentation tools (WinAmp et al, followed by iTunes) matured that the way people produce, distribute and consume media truly evolved.

Just as college students swapping mp3s over university networks in the mid 90′s were half a decade ahead of the music industry, perhaps the popularity and strong community that have formed behind hobbyist 3D printer platforms are an indicator of things to come in the realm of tangible objects.

I have worked with 3D printers and the various tools that are available for duplicating, creating and editing the relatively specialized 3D geometry needed to create objects from them. From that experience I can say that while the challenges of hardware is primarily one of atoms (ie design a faster machine, develop better resolution, invent a wider variety of substrates etc) and solvable by traditional means. On the other hand, the challenge of the bits (how to develop flexible, usable and powerful tools that don’t require years of training and experience to use) is a lot more exciting and open-ended to me. Will we see exchanges like Google’s 3D Warehouse, or will companies spring up that specialize in creating, improving upon, and distributing 3D models of useful objects? Shapeways seems to fit this model, though I suspect at this point their service is a bit of a novelty and they are positioning themselves as a ‘creator of elegant curiosities’ rather than a ‘creator of unsexy-but-potentially-incredibly-useful objects.’

Read the full article at
Ars Technica – 3D fabbers: don’t let the DMCA stifle an innovative future

Google Buys @Last Sotftware

cc — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 20:33:38 +0000

Google has announced the purchase of @Last Software, makers of SketchUp, a 3D modelling and rendering application. SketchUp, whose tagline is ’3D for everyone,’ is designed to be an intuitive tool for creating 3D mockups and sketches.

@Last Software had created a plugin for Google Earth that allows SketchUp users to add their own models to a Google Earth application. Like the models shown above, this means that anyone could place their 3D design into the Google Earth application and users who subscribed to that ‘layer’ of data could see your building on their desktop.

This could be for architects and designers what Google’s purchase of Blogger was to writers. Google continues to expand the average person’s ability to create and share content. Of course, it could also mean endless 3D blogging of peoples’ doghouses, office buildings and summer homes, but some good may come of it regardless.

@Last Software

Link to Post

Update: This guy has a catalogue of notable real, imagined or proposed buildings that have been modelled and placed in Google Earth. A good indication of things to come.

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Printer printing printer parts

Google Buys @Last Sotftware