Blog 4: 3-D Printing... is it the future?

Ian Sullivan
4/06/12
A 3-D Printer Created This Shoe
CNN-March 31st 2012

For a long time we have been printing things. We have been taking our thoughts and putting them on paper to share with the world. Well, it would seem that we have reached a new step in expressing our ideas. 3-D Systems is a company making this idea a reality. When I was in high school we got a 3-D printer in the beginning of my senior year. When I first saw it, the thing looked like it had been thrown together with Lego's. People who were in the shop room would waste entire days just sitting there seeing what stuff they could print. During the school year several schools get together to hold a plastics competition to see who could create the most innovative product. While we were working on our competition entry we used the 3-D Printer hundreds of times. It made designing and producing prototypes extremely easy and cost effective. We didn't win the competition but, we did get to use some pretty cool technology. As far as availability to the average person is concerned I say, "About time." Because these printers are really cool and allow us to be really creative.
 
 I wont be buying one of these new printers, at least not while they are 1,300 dollars, but maybe when they drop to a more manageable price I could be persuaded to pick one up. I mean how cool would it be to just sit down with an idea, draw it on a CAD (Computer Aided Design) program, and then in a few hours have a nifty little toy or a fancy prototype to pawn off to some big company. Well, maybe getting rich by 3-D printing is a bit of a pipe dream, but you can't fault me for trying. All in all it is an interesting concept, and one that should be explored further. But in all honesty I can't see anyone becoming rich with one of these things, let alone getting a return on investment (unless the hours of fun had making your own stuff is a worthy return). I just don't see these things becoming big, but hey crazier things have happened.