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Okay, this is a game of sorts, but is a game that is more a thought experiment than anything.

Setup: 3D printing has now hit a price point that anyone can afford the machines and materials to print anything they want in manufacture-grade plastics.

Question: What kind of things would get printed and what effect will this have on either individuals or society? (By the way, if someone else takes your example, then you can still do yours with a different outcome if you want.)

Here's an example:

Buying sex toys from a store are a thing of the past. Using 3D modeling, people are now able to make accurate representations of their favorite porn star's parts using materials that range from hard to pliant and soft. Immediately, the schematics are pirated and almost overnight the sex toy industry crumbles as couples everywhere make their own toys. One company takes the lead in manufacturing nothing but the items needed to turn these things into vibrators. The CEO finds himself a billionaire almost immediately.

Other things could be guns, CARS (parts and then assembling), toys, CD/DVD's, etc. Let's see how creative you are with...the FUTURE!!

I predict that legos will return to dominance as the shit, as custom legos and 3d-models of compatible parts become where its at.

The world will change for the better as reality TV dies a horrible death when Donald Trump gets accidentally run over by the first basement-made lego car.

FedEx/USPS/UPS lose approximately 15% of their global shipping business when replacement parts are now emailed via schematic rather than as physical parts.

Similar to the Kinko's revolution ("Your office, anywhere!"), 3D printing shops spring up like nail salons and the entire action figure/army men/"Cheap Chinese Plastic Toy" industries collapse within a year. This is accelerated once the 3D printer people figure out how to simultaneously feed and blend CMYK filaments within the printing head and vary color on the fly.

--Patrick

Why not combine them both?

In an unprecedented crossover, Lego's Mindstorms division teams up the sex toy industry to allow people to create their own sex robots! Who needs a real person who complains and gets tired when you have a customizable boink machine at home? Of course, this leads to a huge drop in population and the eventual sentient robot overlord uprising. But damn, will it be one hot uprising!

I hope the resin model market becomes severely depressed. No longer will foot-high Kasumi statuettes cost hundreds of dollars.

God damn it, Gas. I clicked that link. Not only was it something I normally wouldn't have looked at, it was on Amazon and will now be in my WIFE'S "recently viewed" list! You dork![DOUBLEPOST=1367876945][/DOUBLEPOST]*whew* You can delete it. Crisis averted!

Dave said:

God damn it, Gas. I clicked that link. Not only was it something I normally wouldn't have looked at, it was on Amazon and will now be in my WIFE'S "recently viewed" list! You dork![DOUBLEPOST=1367876945][/DOUBLEPOST]*whew* You can delete it. Crisis averted!

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HAH and DOH respectively. You're afraid your wife will see you looked at one?
I already own that (except I got mine off ebay for about 55 bucks)

People will print cellphone cases at home, in greater variety than they currently can be made. Not a huge change, but it will fix the "Oh, that really cute design only fits the iPhone 4" problem, and slightly reduce the appeal of iphones... actually, with the ability to print out perfect dock adapter and other sorts of customizing features, a lot of products will be able to be adapted quickly and easily to multiple phone shapes and sizes.

I'm trying to figure out if this will impact the pen industry significantly. On one hand, they'll have a harder time selling special edition disposable pens, when people can easily make their own barrel with any design they choose, but on the other hand even a custom printed pen likely won't be as cheap. So I can see mid-range pens dying off, but high end stuff might last until metal can be 3D printed with enough polish, and really cheap disposables may always be cheaper than homemade. Though I can see enthusiasts designing pen shapes and grips to use with existing replacement pen cartridges.

Good gravy this would be a dream for theater props! Making just about anything out of durable, or at least easily replaced, and/or lightweight plastic would be great. Vintage appliances, faux jewelry, tableware, fake food, prop weapons, etc. Granted, designing something from scratch might not always be as desirable as grabbing something from a thrift store, but consider finding a lone earring that's perfect... then scanning it and making a replica pair for the production. Or being able to have a stove that's been scanned from a 1950's original, but non-functioning and made from plastic so that it is less than ¼ the weight and can be carried on and off set with ease.

Whoa! I hadn't even thought about the custom jewelry or even the cosplay angle! Imagine being able to use it to make light, soft plastic clothing like what was imagined in the 50's & 60's!

Dave said:

Whoa! I hadn't even thought about the custom jewelry or even the cosplay angle! Imagine being able to use it to make light, soft plastic clothing like what was imagined in the 50's & 60's!

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Heck, you could make video game armor pieces that are 100% shape accurate just from using the model files from the games. Huge spikey WOW shoulderpads here I come!

GasBandit said:

Heck, you could make video game armor pieces that are 100% shape accurate just from using the model files from the games. Huge spikey WOW shoulderpads here I come!

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Polygon!Cloud wig!

Size is going to be an interesting factor in the future of 3D printing. For instance, printing out a cellphone case can be done in a machine with the same footprint as current printer/scanner combos. However, printing out a car bumper, or a pair of shoulder pads, would require a much larger machine.

figmentPez said:

Size is going to be an interesting factor in the future of 3D printing. For instance, printing out a cellphone case can be done in a machine with the same footprint as current printer/scanner combos. However, printing out a car bumper, or a pair of shoulder pads, would require a much larger machine.

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I foresee "garage" models coming out to print up larger items.

Dave said:

Buying sex toys from a store are a thing of the past.

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God help us all when the printers get big enough to print objects of human proportions, and can do "malleable/bendable" soft plastic as well as hard resin. All those "mai waifu" guys from over in the misanthropy thread will suddenly be living their dream - life size, home-printed Tifa realdolls (with removable fleshlight apertures).

GasBandit said:

I foresee "garage" models coming out to print up larger items.

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True, but just like large format printers, those aren't going to be mass market items. So, while your local mechanic may be able to print out a replacement bumper for your car so that you don't have to order a part that's been sitting in storage somewhere (raising it's cost), printing out an end table isn't something that will be done at home for most people. I'm curious as to where the size limit will settle, for how long it stays there, and how that shapes the growth of home 3D printing.

figmentPez said:

True, but just like large format printers, those aren't going to be mass market items. So, while your local mechanic may be able to print out a replacement bumper for your car so that you don't have to order a part that's been sitting in storage somewhere (raising it's cost), printing out an end table isn't something that will be done at home for most people. I'm curious as to where the size limit will settle, for how long it stays there, and how that shapes the growth of home 3D printing.

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Printing an end table you say? Piece of cake!

http://www.wayfair.com/Anatex-Building-Block-Activity-Table-BBA0503-XM1211.html

figmentPez said:

True, but just like large format printers, those aren't going to be mass market items. So, while your local mechanic may be able to print out a replacement bumper for your car so that you don't have to order a part that's been sitting in storage somewhere (raising it's cost), printing out an end table isn't something that will be done at home for most people. I'm curious as to where the size limit will settle, for how long it stays there, and how that shapes the growth of home 3D printing.

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I think we can look toward the existing model of woodworking for an example.

Lots of people can make an end table, and have invested the money, time, and other resources needed to collect the tools and skill necessary to do so.

But not everyone will.

Someone down the street from you probably has the skills and tools to fix your car.

But not everyone will.

Some will buy machines that can make cubic meter objects. Some will start businesses providing that service.

All I know is that once it's possible to print out a car, this is the man that will be responsible for it.

stienman said:

I think we can look toward the existing model of woodworking for an example.

Lots of people can make an end table, and have invested the money, time, and other resources needed to collect the tools and skill necessary to do so.

But not everyone will.

Someone down the street from you probably has the skills and tools to fix your car.

But not everyone will.

Some will buy machines that can make cubic meter objects. Some will start businesses providing that service.

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Those aren't fair comparisons. Woodworking still takes skill and knowledge, a fair amount of skill even if it's less than when everything was done by hand tools. Working on a car takes a fair amount of skill and knowledge as well.

Printing something out doesn't require much skill or knowledge at all. Okay, right now it does, because current 3D printers have limits that have to be worked around, and pieces still come up with rough edges, and you can't print with a paint job already in place, etc. But if you've got a high end photo printer and the right printer, anyone can print out a photo. Even a cheap printer is good enough to print out a report for school (if you don't mind smears and such).

I'll stick to comparing this to large format printers. Very few people care about the ability to print a poster in one piece at home. If someone needs a poster printed, usually they go to Kinkos or some other printer. Heck, most people don't care about printing high quality photos at home, and have someone else do the printing. The issue is that printing services can, and sometimes do, limit printing copyrighted works. So, while Kinkos may go into the 3D printing business, and you'll be able to get them to print out the 3D scan you made of your face, they may balk at printing out your Kasumi statue, or your furniture pattern copied from Sears, because they don't want to get sued for piracy.

The result of this is that smaller items will face piracy at greater rates than larger items. Also, smaller items will see more innovation and tinkering than larger items.

Guns.

Oh wait, that already happened.

'MURICA.

Dave said:

Question: What kind of things would get printed and what effect will this have on either individuals or society? (By the way, if someone else takes your example, then you can still do yours with a different outcome if you want.)

Click to expand...

There will be a rush on inventory analysts as the manufacturing, marine and oil sectors all re-evaluate what items need to be carried as stock inventory and what now can be printed out as needed.

Also consider the repair industry, no longer will people order parts and wait, now we will go to a website and purchase the "whatever 3d print files are called" and make our own at home.

Look to your left, now back at me, now back to your left, and now think about space exploration.[DOUBLEPOST=1367889275][/DOUBLEPOST]

Gusto said:

Polygon!Cloud wig!

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I got my eye on you! I know you're one of those sneaks that would print their own weighted d20's

I can see this opening up a market for licenses for patented skematics and/or a large community of open source object schematics. Now might be a good time to start learning Autocad or Inventor.

Also, I should point out that owning even a small printer gives you the option to print the parts necessary to build yourself an even bigger/higher quality printer.

Epson the #1 printer used to print yourself a better printer!

Can God's printer print a rock even he can't lift?

I tell you what other industry it'll revolutionize, and that's the one where they make medical appliances. Retainers/bite guards, burn masks*, orthotics, scaffolding, or even bones and teeth (given the right sort of printer).

--Patrick
*This one has already been done! (remember the show, couldn't find a link)

PatrThom said:

*This one has already been done! (remember the show, couldn't find a link)

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They've also 3D printed a prosthetic hand for a growing boy. Traditional manufacture would have been to expensive to remake as he grew, but 3D printing will allow them to make new versions to match his growth.

figmentPez said:

They've also 3D printed a prosthetic hand for a growing boy. Traditional manufacture would have been to expensive to remake as he grew, but 3D printing will allow them to make new versions to match his growth.

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o.m.f.g. that's awesome

Say I want a knife, would it be dull when it comes out?

Yoshimickster said:

Say I want a knife, would it be dull when it comes out?

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yes.

no.

i don't know.

i just feel like writing

Could be. Depends on the printer's resolution.
Edge-holding depends on the material you print with.

--Patrick

Very good, hello infinite blade supply! For...ceremonial purposes of course! Not like I need weapons to fight the Dominoes pizza conspiracy of anything.

ITS IN THE SAUCE! THE INCREDIBLY BORING SAUCE!

Miniatures. Game components.

Krisken said:

Miniatures. Game components.

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Holy crap. Print on demand games are going to be amazing with 3D printing tech. I wonder how much it would cost to print a copy of Fireball Island using today's tech...

Hot Wheels tracks and small rodent habitrails

There were so many boardgames and other kinds of toys that came in sets I had growing up that became useless after my younger brother got a hold of them and lost certain little plastic pieces you needed to play. It would be very useful to be able to just reprint those pieces on the fly as insurance for family board games against smaller children (or other family members who flatly refuse to put the pieces back in the box where they belong).

figmentPez said:

They've also 3D printed a prosthetic hand for a growing boy. Traditional manufacture would have been to expensive to remake as he grew, but 3D printing will allow them to make new versions to match his growth.

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Even better, they've now mastered a way to 3D print a working liver for a rat, from their own liver cells. Plastic shaping, organic material made to fit the shape and whatnot. Yes, really. Not possible with a garden variety 3D printer, of course, as you need to be able to print organic materials... But it's really becoming a race which tech tree will give us easy replacement organs first - printing then inserting, growing then inserting, growing inside you,... I don't know exactly how fast it will go, but, brains excepted, I expect no more donor organs somewhere between 20 and 50 years.

That aside, as for this question - I can easily imagine an IKEA-style shop selling easy-to-print, easy-to-put-together-in 55-steps furniture and such; though all of this really depends on price/availability/quality of the substance you're printing with. Won't replace high quality furniture, but when you just need a garden table to seat all of your 15-people-birthday party...Why not?

So, we're on the verge of replicators becoming reality?

SpecialKO said:

Can God's printer print a rock even he can't lift?

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The $20,000 HP with $40,000 replacement plastic will jam within two months and you will not be able to repair it...

sixpackshaker said:

The $20,000 HP with $40,000 replacement plastic will jam within two months and you will not be able to repair it...

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Can God's printer jam so hard even God can't repair it?

Printable games are already here:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:45269

Just one example of many.

Bowielee said:

So, we're on the verge of replicators becoming reality?

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Replicators that use petroleum as base matter. If printing really takes off like we think, it'll be yet another demand for oil. Soooo... pick another middle-eastern nation in need of liberation and break out the fracking machines. MUA HA HA HA HA

Yup, very cool. Someday it will be much more prevalent, though.

GasBandit said:

Replicators that use petroleum as base matter. If printing really takes off like we think, it'll be yet another demand for oil. Soooo... pick another middle-eastern nation in need of liberation and break out the fracking machines. MUA HA HA HA HA

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The most popular plastic for dedicated reprap users is actually PLA, which is based on corn starch is is both biodegradable and renewable.

Abs is still more popular overall, due to durability and flexibility, but when oil becomes too expensive we can readily replace most plastics with a renewable version.

SpecialKO said:

Can God's printer jam so hard even God can't repair it?

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Only if he goes to work for HP.

Actual question for those more informed: is the material in the objects made re-usable? Can you, for example, "melt down" an object that came out wrong for whatever reason and re-use the material?

stienman said:

The most popular plastic for dedicated reprap users is actually PLA, which is based on corn starch is is both biodegradable and renewable.

Abs is still more popular overall, due to durability and flexibility, but when oil becomes too expensive we can readily replace most plastics with a renewable version.

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GAHD do you have to ruin EVERYTHING?

GasBandit said:

GAHD do you have to ruin EVERYTHING?

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Obviously you missed out on the fact that this only leads to more corn subsidies, and their whole suite of problems. You can throw in some Monsanto mania for extra credit.

Do you have to miss EVERY setup?[DOUBLEPOST=1367942265][/DOUBLEPOST]

SpecialKO said:

Actual question for those more informed: is the material in the objects made re-usable? Can you, for example, "melt down" an object that came out wrong for whatever reason and re-use the material?

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Right now all these prints use thermoplastics, which can be melted and reused. There are a number of open source projects for turning plastic pellets into the filament these printers use, and eventually you'll find that you can grind up parts and turn them into filament for the printers.

So yes, with the plastics people are using now you can. It may be that someone will start supply thermoset plastics, which can only be melted once, for printers, but that's probably some time down the road, and only for specialized applications, such as rubberized grips.

Wait mini-toys sounds better than weapons, I'm doing that! So many silly robots I will make-IT WILL BE GLORIOUS!

Even in it's first generation state, it will probably be cheaper to print role-playing miniatures than it is to buy the plastic ones.

Krisken said:

Miniatures. Game components.

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GW is going to regret it's heavy handed decisions so bad.

Frank said:

GW is going to regret it's heavy handed decisions so bad.

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Rumor is they're looking to sell. Those heavy handed tactics look good to investors when the immediate numbers improve.

Yoshimickster said:

Wait mini-toys sounds better than weapons, I'm doing that! So many silly robots I will make-IT WILL BE GLORIOUS!

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How "mini" do you mean?

(click pic for story)

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

How "mini" do you mean?
View attachment 10827
(click pic for story)

--Patrick

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Holy shnikeys...NANOBOTS! WE ARE MAD CLOSE TO NANOBOTS! Now all I need to do is attune my telepathic abilities to control them-AND DOMINOES IS GOING DOWN! Or maybe I'll just use em for the good of man kind, whichever is easier.

HCGLNS said:

Look to your left, now back at me, now back to your left, and now think about space exploration

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NASA AMA on reddit today' confirmed they are working on using native materials on the moon to supply large scale 3d printing manufacturing on it's surface!

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1epdv7/i_am_mason_peck_nasas_chief_technologist_ask_me/

Also, patient has 75% of skull replaced with 3D printed implant.

Much better than making a stupid gun that won't shoot straight.

Dave said:

Much better than making a stupid gun that won't shoot straight.

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Yeah, but I still want to be able to print Darkwing Duck's gas gun.

Huh. Some of these things are only a few grand. I should save up for awhile, and think about producing action figures.

Few grand? Try a hundred bucks. No drivers necessary either, it works by SOUND DATA with your headphone and microphone jacks.

I saw a blurb in Popular Science about advancing suit technology for the Winter Olympics. It made me wonder, how long until we're 3D printing suits directly onto athletes right before the competition so that suits can be completely seamless, without even a zipper?

That'll be a while. I don't think the materials technology is going to be up to printing the space-age materials/textures used in many of those suits.

--Patrick

PatrThom said:

That'll be a while. I don't think the materials technology is going to be up to printing the space-age materials/textures used in many of those suits.

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True, decades at the least, I should think.

Still, in the meantime it will be fun to eat 3D printed sugary confections:

I always thought the next logical step in those suits was to keep them in liquid form and then just dip the athlete in naked and spray on a catalyst to quick-dry the suit right before the event.

GasBandit said:

I always thought the next logical step in those suits was to keep them in liquid form and then just dip the athlete in naked and spray on a catalyst to quick-dry the suit right before the event.

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For the swimsuits it's not just the material, but the texture that makes the big difference. It's going to be a long time before we can build a suit on someone that's competitive.

Further, there's no real benefit. Seams are not an issue with modern sewing techniques, and humans can get into and out of clothing far more easily and cheaply than having it printed on them.

I expect clothing will still be made, even if by a printer, off human for the foreseeable future.

When 3D printing really goes global, the early adopters will produce the parts to make 3D printers themselves, so those will be cheaper and more widely available to everyone. In time, people will also start to make parts that automatically make parts for printers, culminating in a fully realised assembly line for printers. To allow for customization, software will be developed and computers will be printed to automate the assembly lines. This evolution goes on for a while, until one day, JUDGEMENT DAY arrives and John Connor leaps up and tweets around the world "I Told You So! My mom is gonna be so pissed at you guys..".

Jax said:

When 3D printing really goes global, the early adopters will produce the parts to make 3D printers themselves, so those will be cheaper and more widely available to everyone. In time, people will also start to make parts that automatically make parts for printers, culminating in a fully realised assembly line for printers. To allow for customization, software will be developed and computers will be printed to automate the assembly lines. This evolution goes on for a while, until one day, JUDGEMENT DAY arrives and John Connor leaps up and tweets around the world "I Told You So! My mom is gonna be so pissed at you guys..".

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hashtagapocalypse

--Patrick