[Discuss] 3D Printers

[Richard Pieri]

On 4/16/2017 11:29 AM, markw at mohawksoft.com wrote:
> I'm still not sure. Yes, they can make a lot of things, but the
> pieces will never be cheaper than mass production.
This is true for things for which mass production demand exists. Bespoke
and niche products will never have that demand and will never benefit
from scaling up production. For these, the rapid prototyping and small
scale production turnaround benefits are huge. Some examples:

Mr. Speakers, who some of you may know as a cottage market modder of
Fostex headphones, now makes his own headphones using 3D printed cups.

McLaren are using 3D printed components on their F-1 cars this season.
The turnaround times for parts manufactured this way are measured in
days compared to weeks for traditional methods.

In medicine, one-off printed models of patients' organs have been of
help in diagnosis of illnesses and training new doctors, and the idea of
bespoke implants holds amazing potential.

-- 
Rich P.