Proponents say it’s the next disruptive technology with the potential to significantly change the landscape of a number of industries. Peter Marsh, [Financial Times] manufacturing editor talks to one such supporter – Abe Reichental, chief executive of US-based 3D Systems – to find out how 3D printing works and how big a game-changer it’s is likely to be.
The video shows a $1300 home 3D printer making ornate napkin holders for about $3 each. Some high end cars already have 3D printed parts. While such parts are still not be used in high stress situations like a transmission, the 3D printed parts ccan be used to create the molds for them.
Listen, I’m all for Star Trek becoming a reality here, but when people can manufacturer their own parts from home there are going to be a lot of people out of jobs, including the Chinese. Not to mention that if you think fake items are big business in the USA and around the world now, imagine having thousands of printers making fake knock off items that can sold to consumers. For example, you can take a scan of a real vintage coke bottle and print out as many as you want and sell them off as the real deal. Or maybe you just sell them off as replicas and still make a killing. I can see the lawsuits now. If you think RIAA has filed a bunch of lawsuits in it’s day, imagine all sorts of companies who are going to have to sue all sorts of people and companies for selling printed replicas without licensing agreements for the trademarks, copyrights, and patents, that they hold. It’s going to be a mess.
3D printing will be an enormously disruptive technology eliminating many jobs and creating others. The legal problems will be huge. And it can’t be stopped.