3D Printers: Fun and dangerous

Corey Batt

Corey Batt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing

3D printers are becoming quite popular (and cheap!), where you can pick up a respectable basic model for under $500. Whilst some may think its a tad gimmicky, you can see where this tech is heading. A mini factory in every home (perhaps to go with everyone's mini power stations... Solar power)

One fellow in the US has decided he will use this technology for his political and philosophical views, providing 'printable' guns for free to the public. He has recently provided the file for downloading the first printable gun, the 'liberator' which has been successfully fired by multiple users. US Government has taken down access to this file off his website defcad.org, but is being distributed through multiple sources including Piratebay.


Whats peoples thoughts about the technology? And what does this technology mean for the governments ability to restrict individuals access to certain items including but not limited to firearms.
 
Like any technology it can be used for good or evil. Some numpty making guns is fairly stupid IMO.

On the other hand, this could revolutionize certain items. Things that would be made to order, items in remote locations, etc. There could come a time where you no longer need to pay for the manufacture of many items, just the royalties for the design and the raw material for the printer.

As for designing a gun and making that design publicly and freely available even where those firearms are illegal... I imagine that the moment an Australian is shot by one of these weapons, the designer will have a lawsuit to answer.
 
My 3D Printer goodies arrived today from Etsy. US$6.50 for some cool cookie cutters - I can't see much profit in that but I was delighted with my Darlek and the 10th Dr

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And Lalaloopsy ones for a Lalaloopsy 5th birthday this weekend

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il_570xN.453602944_9xmy.jpg
 
Haha,

Anybody seen an application of this in construction?

I'd be curious to see its impact on the construction industry.
 
nhg said:
Haha,

Anybody seen an application of this in construction?

I'd be curious to see its impact on the construction industry.
Click to expand...

The plastics are quite expensive, circa $40-50kg so I don't think that at this point and time it would be used for anything other than developmental design for construction.

It's exceptionally useful for modelling however, pulling out cad files to look for potential flaws in reality.

3d printed gun doco:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DconsfGsXyA

Moving parts hand crank fan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eojAdYMT0g

The day we see cost effective metal printing is the day that China's factories and shipping becomes largely obsolete. An economy based on buying computer files would be immense.
 
PT_Bear said:
This just proves my point. Darleks and girl scout cookies. Further evidence of evil use.
Click to expand...

That's right. Designed to make mothers who employ cruder methods of 3D construction feel inadequate.

No doubt will be showcased on a Saturday afternoon under the elaborate charade of a childrens birthday party.
 
This tech is still in its infancy and has a long way to go. I can see the day where the basic raw material is priced at a point where it becomes cost effective to build certain products either locally or even at home.

Over Christmas I read a science fiction novel, "The Great North Road", by Peter Hamilton. 3D printers featured a lot in various scenarios, from building custom surfboards at a remote resort location, to a military outpost creating spare parts for vehicles. For some specialist applications the raw material was far more exotic than mere plastic.

I think we've only scratched the surface of where this will go on the future.
 
CJay said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing

3D printers are becoming quite popular (and cheap!), where you can pick up a respectable basic model for under $500. Whilst some may think its a tad gimmicky, you can see where this tech is heading. A mini factory in every home (perhaps to go with everyone's mini power stations... Solar power)

One fellow in the US has decided he will use this technology for his political and philosophical views, providing 'printable' guns for free to the public. He has recently provided the file for downloading the first printable gun, the 'liberator' which has been successfully fired by multiple users. US Government has taken down access to this file off his website defcad.org, but is being distributed through multiple sources including Piratebay.


Whats peoples thoughts about the technology? And what does this technology mean for the governments ability to restrict individuals access to certain items including but not limited to firearms.
Click to expand...

I doubt the tech could print a functional gun. The medium would be paper (wood products of some kind) or plastics. How do you print the inside of gun?
 
Ed Barton said:
I doubt the tech could print a functional gun. The medium would be paper (wood products of some kind) or plastics. How do you print the inside of gun?
Click to expand...

Can and already has Ed. Multiple vids on Youtube of the liberator pistol firing. The AR-15 (read civilian semi auto m-16) lower receiver has been stress tested to firing over 600 rounds down range.

Not paper, multiple types of plastics. There are printers which can print in aluminium, steel etc (but cost $$$$$$$$). There are multiple new materials being produced however which are becoming rapidly stronger than the last. ABS at 6k Kpa, taulman nylon at 9k Kpa, a new product being put through hits 70,000 Kpa which is similar to steel.

You print all the individual parts (however some can print multiple units together. Think of it it as a machine which prints one grain of sand (actually smaller) at a time.
 
guns? cookies?

pfff - print a house.

http://www.wimp.com/printerhouse/

my only, serious, concern with 3D printing on a scale like a house, or building is that we start to make human labour obsolete.

remove the ability to sell time and we need to restructure our post industrial global financial system.
 
CJay said:
Can and already has Ed. Multiple vids on Youtube of the liberator pistol firing. The AR-15 (read civilian semi auto m-16) lower receiver has been stress tested to firing over 600 rounds down range.

Not paper, multiple types of plastics. There are printers which can print in aluminium, steel etc (but cost $$$$$$$$). There are multiple new materials being produced however which are becoming rapidly stronger than the last. ABS at 6k Kpa, taulman nylon at 9k Kpa, a new product being put through hits 70,000 Kpa which is similar to steel.

You print all the individual parts (however some can print multiple units together. Think of it it as a machine which prints one grain of sand (actually smaller) at a time.
Click to expand...

Proves what a tech retard I am.

I'll stick to getting my guns from the local bikie gang. Probably cheaper and comes with a body back guarantee.

I like the idea of printing my own functional Darleks.
 
I think the most fascinating application I've heard of so far is...

using 3d printers to print OTHER 3d printers.

you could shoot one off to mars and let things sort themselves out. :eek:
 
nhg said:
I think the most fascinating application I've heard of so far is...

using 3d printers to print OTHER 3d printers.

you could shoot one off to mars and let things sort themselves out. :eek:
Click to expand...

it's that kind of core thinking that is the seed for great leaps and bounds with human kind.

"the city is drowning in horse manure! we can't expand our population! - answer - create a horseless carriage".

"we are drowning in labour costs! we cant expand our cities because labour costs are so high! -answer - create a labourless construction method."

the ramification for humankind now we have 3D printing will be evident in the same period of tme that the industrial revolution changed the way humans work.
 
Aaron Sice said:
it's that kind of core thinking that is the seed for great leaps and bounds with human kind.

"the city is drowning in horse manure! we can't expand our population! - answer - create a horseless carriage".

"we are drowning in labour costs! we cant expand our cities because labour costs are so high! -answer - create a labourless construction method."

the ramification for humankind now we have 3D printing will be evident in the same period of tme that the industrial revolution changed the way humans work.
Click to expand...

Without the same initial effects that the industrial revolution had (drop in living standards, longer working hours etc).
 
nhg said:
...now what will governments do to keep the masses occupied and out of trouble.
Click to expand...

I dunno, free gladiator fights to quell the masses?

Better question is how will the government adjust consumptive based taxes to account for self-production?
 
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