3d Printer
The ultimate machine
3d printers are powerful tools which enable people to build full three dimensional models. This type of equipment is also known as a rapid prototyping machine. At first glance this seems to be just another industrial tool, but the ramifications are in fact, quite a bit more intense. 
Imagine seeing a product you liked and instead of ordering it online, or going to a shop to purchase it, if you just flipped a switch and a short time later you actually owned the item. The revolutionary potential of this kind of device could change the way we look at commerce entirely. Early models of 3d printers are emerging, and while they can’t simply print out anything you want they do have some impressive capabilities.
Rapid Prototype devices
Currently there are several types of 3d rapid prototyping devices. These range from a few thousand dollars to several hundred thousand dollars. Like all technologies the costs are coming down, and a home 3d printing system is nearly in reach.
Several models of 3d printers are out there. The majority of these work with either plastics or paper. Some of the newer models are designed to work from powdered metal compounds.. Scales run from massive industrial model makers to small desktop models. Typically these printers come in a few different styles.
Laser 3d Printer
Printers in this class typically consist of an array of lasers which shapes liquid plastic as it rises from a vat through a field of cutting lasers. Surplus material is burned away following instructions from a computer program, until only the desired shape remains. The software typically converts instructions from a CAD program and is able to create sophisticated three dimensional shapes with great precision.
Industrial Printers
An example of the industrial 3d printer is the type used to create 3d puzzles. Typically the material is applied through fine spray nozzles on a large piece of machinery. The layers are built up one level at a time, until each component is completed. This particular machine uses a paper mulch which then hardens to form the puzzle piece. Due to the relatively inaccurate mechanisms of sprayers, this type of device has only specialized applications. However it is capable of adapting to different items by changing the machineries software. As an industrial level machine it is capable of tremendous output.
3d Prototype Layer
This type of 3d printer works along the same principles as the industrial printer, in that it is designed to build layers up. Typically this works along the same lines as an ink printer head, although the materials vary by machine. The key difference is that layer printers add specialized materials which harden and stack. To do this the machine requires a third axis of movement. As each layer hardens the machine notches up a level and proceeds with its printing. There is a wide range of costs associated with this class of 3d printers.
Rapid Prototype Machines
A rapid prototype machine can come in any of the above forms. In most cases, a rapid prototype machine will build objects as models rather than as fully functional items. While the design may eventually call for metals, a plastic replica can be created individually and various designs can be compared. Due to the typically high cost of these machines and the specialized programming skills that are required to draw up the blueprints, this is still a fairly expensive service.
The Future of 3d printers
The future of the home rapid prototype system is quite different than its current form. Much as you can now copy a cd or download information in an mp3 so that you can listen to a song, the 3d printer will eventually be able to make just about anything that you have the proper file for. Once an object is created as a CAD blueprint, the original plan can be saved and distributed. Multi-material machines that combine various technologies are on the horizon that will make anyone with the right seed materials able to create anything that they have the information pattern for. This may have potentially huge impacts on society, as the need to ship anything aside from raw materials will become obsolete.
Self Replicating Machines
The rep rap project is an open source venture designed to not only design a cheap prototype machine but also create a machine that can replicate itself. The device is planned to use multiple materials that it will then be capable of producing itself as long as certain compounds are available. This will have huge implications, should this program or another similar venture succeed. Once one machine is built, it will create more. This will create an exponential growth in this type of device, quickly allowing it to be spread globally. The implications are staggering. If you need a tool, you simply download the plans and it is there in front of you. If you need a plate, same thing. While this type of machine will have some limitations, ultimately it should not only be able to produce any item, but also do so with materials that can be recycled back into the machine to create different items.
3d Printer Models
For information on specific 3d printers we have compiled some videos and reports of the various advantages and disadvantages of several models.
Z Corp direct metal casting system
Zcorps offering is able to both create objects and casting for poured metals
Objet can use 3d cad drawings to render objects in various materials
There are many players in the 3d printer field and undoubtedly more will emerge as costs become more manageable. Desktop models range from a few thousand to a few hundred thousand dollars for factory floor models. Scalability, versatility and materials capabilities are defining factors in finding the right industrial machine for your home or business workspace.
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