While we are all weathering the storm I felt that another non serious post was appropriate. In today's issue I wish to talk about 3D printers. You're probably saying what the heck is a 3D printer right? Well it is a technology that has been around for a decade or two that allows you to print three dimensional objects like lamps, toys, car parts and the like.
The technology behind it is simple. You place the material you wish to make the object out off in a hopper (that material is the ink). From there, the material is broken down in some way (usually melted) and is laid layer by layer onto the printing surface. It can also be done with fine powders where the powder is also layered and melted together as the model or object is built. So you can literally build anything from the comfort of your own home without heading to the store.
If you think that this resembles the replicator devices from Star Trek, you would be right. Some techies wanted to make a replicator for general use, but while not at the level of manipulating molecules, it does some very amazing things. Currently the cheapest can take 3 varying kinds of plastic and make 3D figures and objects. The most expensive however can range up into the millions and print objects out of glass, stone and metals in addition to plastics. Businesses like Northrup Grumman and Lockheed Martin use 3D printers to create lighter and often times stronger materials for their airplanes and naval craft. Basically the 3D printer can make any object that cannot be made by hand such as intricate designs that would require major machining or designs that are impossible to make by such methods. This is because the 3D printer layers the object as it is built rather than hollowing out a solid object. So you can literally put whatever kind of structure you want in an impossible to reach space.
This technology is going to get even cheaper and change how people do business. People will be on their computer and buy a particular design of say a lamp and for that one time only the printer will print that lamp on the cheep (or at least the parts for it to be assembled). You can bypass this one time buy and print method by designing your own lamp, toys or even car parts. All it takes is a design program on your computer to design and build your own. From there you can make money off your designs in the same way a person sells an app for cell phones. Cool right.
3D printers are really coming into there own for it is predicted that within two decades they will be affordable to anyone and everyone. Large scale versions are even predicted that can build up to 12 houses a day, (don't worry construction workers, you will still be needed to do the finishing touches inside the buildings). A 3D printer has also been successful in printing medication, which I predict will allow doctors to print medications for their patients without going to the pharmacy (don't worry pharmacists your unique knowledge on drug interactions will still be needed as you will fill a niche roll in medicine, so expect a large pay increase that may even rival an ER surgeon). There has even been test at universities where 3D printers are used to produce food. In this case it was a slab of meat (eatable meat). The same idea is also used to produce organs for transplant patients using a patients own living cells (typically stem cells) eliminating any chance of organ rejection.
One catch, while goods will become cheaper to obtain (like those especially high price items), the "inks" will be expensive. Bulk cargo in shipping containers will shift to ink transport over pre-made items which will be expensive. The one saving grace though is that some universities are looking to find ways of recycling materials you wish to throw out and turn them into new inks.
You know this is a world changing technology especially when it has coverage in articles from Popular Mechanics, Popular science, The Economist and Forgine Affairs. There will be legal battles and copyright laws will have to be re-written again, but it is the future, and a bright and profitable one at that.
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