User Generated Objects: 3D Printing In The NYT
We've mentioned stereolithography, or 3D printing, on these pages several times in the last few years and now the mainstream media seems to have got the bug too: the NYT has an article that reviews the current state of 3D printing and the prospects that maybe one day we'll be printing objects from our home. They say:
3D Systems, a pioneer in the field, plans to introduce a three-dimensional printer later this year that will sell for $9,900. “We think we can deliver systems for under $2,000 in three to five years,” said Abe Reichental, the company’s chief executive. “That will open a market of people who are not just engineers — collectors, hobbyists, interior decorators.”
Even at today’s prices, uses for 3-D printers are multiplying. Colleges and high schools are buying them for design classes. Dental labs are using them to shape crowns and bridges. Doctors print models from CT scans to help plan complex surgery. Architects are printing three-dimensional models of their designs. And the Army Corps of Engineers used the technology to build a topographical map of New Orleans to help plan reconstruction...
“You could go to Mattel.com, download Barbie, scan your Mom’s head, slap the head on Barbie and print it out,” suggests Joe Shenberger, the director of sales for Desktop Factory. “You could have a true custom one-off toy.”
Beam It Down From the Web, Scotty - New York Times PSFK Articles On 3D Printing
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