Monday, May 6, 2013

But the guy on TV made it look so easy

Have you heard of 3-D printing?  It's a digital process where layers of material are "printed" one on top of another to make complex 3-dimensional shapes.  You program in the plans for the gizmo you want, then layer-by-layer the printer builds it.  My Neanderthal brain can't actually wrap itself around this....I'm pretty sure there's some black magic involved.

Here's where it gets real:  A guy in Austin, TX has successfully "printed" a gun and actually fired it.  



It doesn't look like much, and it only fires .22's, but still, it worked.  Since the printer cost $8,000, I'm not sure this is a very cost effective way to get a gun, but still, it worked.  

I already have a gun, but what I don't have is a really cool car.  I mean Jaguar, Aston Martin, or maybe Ferrari cool.  So here's my plan:  First, I've gotta get me one of those fancy printers.  You think Office Depot has them?  (I have an account there.)  Then I'll need a Chilton parts manual for my chosen car.  Finally, recognizing my technological limitations, I'll need a nerd to run the machine.  Pick paint and upholstery colors and Waa-Laa....dream car!

Maybe I'll start small just to get the hang of it.  Like maybe a Mini, the original sized one.  Then raise the bar a notch at a time until I get what I want.  Isn't this cool?  I may have to rethink my prejudice against technology. 



Reality check....maybe there's more to this than I first thought.

Damn!  ;)

S


11 comments:

  1. That 3D printing is amazing. They can even make body parts with it like arms and ears and such. The only thing is think of all the Chinese who are going to be out of jobs when we don't need big manufacturing plants anymore because you can just program a printer at Office Depot or Best Buy to make your iPhone on the spot.

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  2. Funny! What is that thing?

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    1. I have no idea. I'm thinking it began life as a MG Midget and went downhill from there.

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  3. Those bullets are only dangerous if you are wearing those special 3D glasses.

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  4. I think I'd use one of those printers to make things for around the house - bookshelves & such. Or maybe we can start REALLY small & make a Barbie convertible :)

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  5. There's always more to reality than we think. Way more.

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  6. I started hearing about 3-D printers a few months ago, and how they will revolutionize creating and manufacturing things. Not just body parts like ears (see the story in the L.A. Times about a bionic ear made with an off-the-shelf 3-D printer), but also custom-made clothing, and - unfortunately - guns that won't be registered. And will the airport X-ray machine detect these guns, made of plastic?

    Blows my mind.

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  7. I love 3D printers, we have them at work. The really cool thing is that you can 3D print a new 3D printer, so they actually reproduce themselves!

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    1. Doen't exactly make for good job security at the 3-D factory now does it?

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  8. it's skynet all over again....or maybe not .... there's not enough coffee in me to make a rational or irrational call on anything

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