3-D Printers

[Eastporter]

If you haven't heard- 3-D printers are making everything from prosthetic hands to handguns. I think these will change the way our manufacturing and designing are done. Layers of plastic or metal are used to create anything your mind can think of (as long as it is in plastic or metal). Who knows? Maybe boat molds will be created from 3-D printers in the future. Watching the Jetsons growing up made me think about the future. It is becoming reality with technology and robotics. They have even made steak from a 3-D printer using proteins.
Check out the video of the first working metal handgun made from a 3-D commercial printer. Amazing!
Texas firm makes world

Where's the beef?
http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/your-3d-printed-steak-is-served-but-is-it-meat

Boat hull printed!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDqxt3CF4Zg

 

[offshore31]

my boss's husband has one at home that he plays with. Like you said, it goes beyond plastic etc. They're trying to use them to make ear's for kids that have lost them. Unbelievable, truly amazing. Hulls, sure. Engines? Maybe down the road. Wonder, is this the synthesizer that made things in star trek? Technology's amazing. But its' always a double edge sword.

 

[Tumblehome]

They are the future of prototype design, and it is happening now. I had the pleasure or working with this technology for several years in the medical device manufacturing sector. I could design a prototype in 3-D cad on a Monday, and have a plastic model on my desk on Tuesday. Unreal. Our machine had a build box of 18" square. I could see how these machines would be a great resource for scale models of boat hull designs. No more half models. Just scale down the numbers and you could have that new hull design on your desk the next day.