nedge2k
THIS is the future we've been waiting for. Will be interesting to see how this impacts the foundry and CNC industry in 10-20yrs. The CNC manufacturers could do with a good kick up the arse - they've been gouging people for decades.
Mzungu_Mkubwa
My company utilizes a lot of cast aluminum components in their products, and have spent the past years "moving" the sourcing of these to Chinese suppliers. With recent efforts to revitalize U.S. manufacturing (e.g. the recent Walmart initiative to shift this sourcing back state-side) this tech could provide significant underpinnings to allow this, at least in the industry it serves. Bring casting sourcing back to American suppliers, but shifted to this far more advantageous methodology. Our leadership would be smart to "quarantine" this tech to preserve the head-start advantage over the global competition.
MK23666
Goodbye high wage jobs ... hello, Guaranteed Minimum Income.
ted
How can something by 10X cheaper? presumbly 1X cheaper is zero cost. The author probably means at 10% of the cost.
Bruce H. Anderson
I do believe this is kinda HUGE!
vqsteve
This is exciting - not just for manufacturers, but retailers as well. Think auto parts stores. Why carry inventory (at the store or "next day" in some regional warehouse) when that part could be printed locally?
Smaller stores, cheaper rent, parts only a CAD drawing away.
Combine metal printing, thermoplastic FDM and 3D printed circuitry with robot assembly and yes, we may need to consider guaranteed minimum income.
As nedge2k says, THIS is the future we've been waiting for. Very exciting!
In the back of my mind, though, I hear Chinese political leaders saying, "What are we going to do with all these workers of ours whose jobs are now automated? . . . . Oh, yes, the United States owes us a great deal of money. Let's collect on it."
over_there
i wouldnt get to excited 15% shrinkage is huge, althought they can offset it with software a fair bit it will still be a long way off the laser types. There would also be distortion with the shrinking and the end product will be weak. I find it hard to see any point. 3d printing is never going to replace casting or cnc except in some very specific cases.
roary
Just wait until they stick you with the price of those printer cartridges... Not to mention all the headache of getting one of those set up, amiright?
Grunchy
Nice - lowers the cost and raises the quality appreciably. Post-machining will still be necessary for datum surfaces, precision bores, etc. But there is a huge number of parts that will be ready to use as-prototyped. I will definitely be sending business to such vendors as they come available. The real beauty of such rapid prototyping is that parts will no longer necessarily be EOL, if you don't want. I have a Dodge that turned 30 years old and I have to scrounge spares from the junk yard. With such technology available I could replace almost anything, and conceivably design and fabricate my own aftermarket parts such as suspension, brakes, heads, etc. This will lower the barrier of entry for a lot of creative individuals to a lot of industries.
dougspair
...I'd like more explanation of how those little 'rods' in the print cartridge....get sprayed onto the substrate...?