I’d just like to see what you guys think about if this type of technology has the ability to kill off home-molding as an art form?
Why would it kill it off? If anything 3D printing will be a massive leap forward for the hobby. MUCH more cost-effective than doing up styrene molds, especially for limited run subjects. I can see huge ramifications for aftermarket and then for distribution as things mature.
I actually just came across this earlier today - granted this guy contracted out to a 3D printing company with a multi-hundred-thousand dollar machine, but look at this stuff.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/110741/message/1348148756/Updating+my+Bronco+H39+-+2012+style
Umm…it looks to me like that Marketbot is an in home 3D printer. But I may be missing something.
I agree with Doogs! If anything, it’s a great leap forward. How could it not be better than home molding? I’d say the possibilities are limitless for our hobby.
Gary
Nevermind… I missed something. This will be great I think. If people (companies) begin doing the 3D designs and selling them for home printing this will be a huge breakthrough I think. Now as long as we have to do our own 3D drawings, the inept – such as myself-- are fudged.
No…
The Makerbot 2 is really cool - but even at 100 micron resolution I’m hesitant that it can match the detail and quality of where resin casting and styrene molding are at today. Still…matter of time.
Short term, I see enterprising aftermarket companies moving to these for certain items. I could see vacform kits and even aspects of resin kits becoming things of the past. Then high-detail items like tires and bangseats and such as the resolution improves further still.
I could see hobby shops (online and physical) buying these and printing kits on demand. Probably deep catalog kits at first. I could see the actual manufacturers investing in the industrial variety that kick the pants of the makerbot and basically abandoning injection molding within 15 years.
All fascinating stuff that makes me want to go out and learn AutoCAD…
My son is an CAD draftsman and for a while, he and his wife thought about investing in a 3D printer to start their own business. They discussed this with some company in Austin who sold them. He now works for DMS(Dynamic Manufacturing Solutions) in Austin and it seems like he told me that they had one. Not sure though. I do know that DMS is pretty high-tech, with clean rooms that put a surgical operating room to shame. I think it’s an exciting concept for us.
Gary
I would agree that it’s pretty exciting. 20 years ago if you told me I’d be able to hold something the size of my iPhone and do all that I do on it. Is I’d have locked you in a crazy house. So it’s just makes sense that this technology could advance enough to revolutionize modeling. I would bet we are 5 years at the most from seeing the aftermarket scene explode. Heck, a lot of the good ole resin and such comes from small outfits where a hobbyist has taken their love for the hobby, combined their designing and production talents and given us so much.
The more exciting part for me though is the possibilities at the larger manufacturing level. What will companies like Tamiya, Revell, and Dragon be Doug with this? It could become much cheaper to produce kits. There will be no need for the molds. No more retooling. You won’t have to stop producing one kit to make too for a new set of molds on the production floor. Covering all the variants of one particular aircraft will be much simpler. (Let’s start with the F-4 btw!!)
One reason I don’t think it will is a poll in this discussion group a few weeks ago. Someone asked what items accounted for the biggest spending. Tools was very far down on the list. Few of us seem to spend much on tools. Since that 3D printing technology is pretty expensive, and will probably remain so for quite awhile, I don’t see it becoming common on most modelers workbenches.
Sort of like lathes, modeler’s drill presses, modeler’s power saws, home PE sets and such. Yeah, a few of us may buy them, but not that many of us. Most prefer to use their money for kits and supplies.
This is why it probably won’t become a big factor in this hobby in our lifetime…
By Manstein’s revenge on 21 september 2012 DoogsATX The Makerbot 2 is really cool - but even at 100 micron resolution I’m hesitant that it can match the detail and quality of where resin casting and styrene molding are at today. “This is why it probably won’t become a big factor in this hobby in our lifetime…” Speak for yourself. I am 33 so I think it will happen in my lifetime.