Legality of scanning then 3d printing.

[MickeyFinns]

Do you realise what you just said?

It's like saying it's impossible to rip Blu-Rays because of the protection.

It's not possible to police and I could go scan a £50 note right now if I wanted to.

It should not be policed or regulated either, it's the sort of thing greedy corporations want to control in order to protect their bottom lines; It stifles innovation and technological advancements.

Never said it was impossible, I said there are ways to police it and gave an example. It is a fact that various printer drivers and software will block bank notes. In theory the same types of checks could be applied to 3d scans.

I haven't discussed the morality of regulating it at any point, just laid out the facts of existing systems.

 

[Deleted member 77746]

nah been doing it for years already. I make some awesome lego guns

What about the people who are going to miss use it ?

 

[Haggisman]

What about the people who are going to miss use it ?

You mean like the people who misuse cars for bank robbery getaways? The people who misuse phones by making abusive and harassing calls? The people who misuse kitchen knives by stabbing people with them? Lets just ban everything because, lets face it, almost everything has the potential for misuse...

 

[Deleted member 77746]

You mean like the people who misuse cars for bank robbery getaways? The people who misuse phones by making abusive and harassing calls? The people who misuse kitchen knives by stabbing people with them? Lets just ban everything because, lets face it, almost everything has the potential for misuse...

Yes you are right it does 3D printing will allow a bigger potential of products, which in turn could cause more problems depends what people are producing.

 

[Scougar]

If people can do it, people will. Not sure if was on here, but a gent made a fully working AK47 replica out of a spade (yes, really).

I imagine 3D printing will be rather expensive in general compared to mass manufacture. I would have concerns about durability of a part with 3d printing as well.

 

[leaskovski]

How good are 3d printers and how on earth are they able to actually make say a ford focus wing? What is a wing made of anyway?? Surely a 3d printer isnt going to print out in the same material?

 

[Shocky-FM]

Hardware warez?

 

[aardvark]

i think people are getting carried away - you can print plastic, big deal -lots of stuff mentioned in this thread can't be done by 3d printing and probably never will unless they invent 'magic'.

 

[Catanonia]

i think people are getting carried away - you can print plastic, big deal -lots of stuff mentioned in this thread can't be done by 3d printing and probably never will unless they invent 'magic'.

untrue, BBC click had an eposide on this recently and they made a massive wrench complete with ratchet on it just as strong as the original. It was some sort of metal / plastic hybrid and very very strong.

The only thing stopping it is the shear cost at the moment, but it will not be long before that comes down.

Don't expect "car wings", but certainly expect an online store where you can buy smaller items to be printed at home in the next 10 years. For example. Need a replacement remote control case for your TV because yours is cracked. Need a new kitchen utensil, a new keyboard key, corkscrew, knife etc etc

 

[Haggisman]

Yes you are right it does 3D printing will allow a bigger potential of products, which in turn could cause more problems depends what people are producing.

It's ridiculous to contemplate banning something extremely useful and beneficial because of a minute minority who will potentially misuse it (see examples above).

 

[Destination]

What do 3d printers use as substrate, it is an acrylic? Or what type of material?

 

[elmarko]

One thing that should be considered (from a bigger view) is that if eventually people will be able to produce guns at home, more time & energy should be invested in turning the population into one which is mentally capable of living with them (IE, compare the cultural differences to gun liberal Norway/Sweden & the USA).

If weapons will eventually be easily available then as a society we will have to take a deep hard & honest look at the causes of most violent behaviour, if prohibition becomes practically impossible alternative methods will have to be honestly explored (eg, better mental health care for the population, early diagnosis for dangerous conditions, reduction in slums/gross poverty) - basically aim at solving social problems which result in criminality.

 

[aardvark]

untrue, BBC click had an eposide on this recently and they made a massive wrench complete with ratchet on it just as strong as the original. It was some sort of metal / plastic hybrid and very very strong.

The only thing stopping it is the shear cost at the moment, but it will not be long before that comes down.

Don't expect "car wings", but certainly expect an online store where you can buy smaller items to be printed at home in the next 10 years. For example. Need a replacement remote control case for your TV because yours is cracked. Need a new kitchen utensil, a new keyboard key, corkscrew, knife etc etc

as strong as hardened steel? i doubt it. and so far all thats been printed is some gun parts, not the barrel or firing chamber afaik.
don't get me wrong, 3d printers are amazing, but they aren't the magic 'replicator' people make them out to be - not yet, and without some serious advances in materials, not ever.

 

[Catanonia]

"as strong as hardened steel? "

uhm, well yes if that is what a 12inch adjustable wrench is normally made out of.

Can't find a link to it, otherwise would post for interest sake.

Won't be long before most of this is possible. Car parts (no warranty of course).

I just had a water pump go on my BMW, £450 part.

Now it was only the housing and fans that needed replacing and not the electronics, but I had to buy a new unit. So 3d-PrintingBay.com here I come. and volia. Absolutely perfect application for this technology and using the kit they showed in the program, possible today with ease.

In a few years time, add conducting metal to plastics and you almost have circuit boards. (silicon chips is another matter)

If it was available and affordable enough, I would. Just look at the music industry.

 

[tigerstyle]

If people are worried of this 3D printing revolution, shouldn't CNC + CAD have been an even bigger threat? But it just isn't, I can't see a 3D printer strong enough to print a gun/usable engine part is going to be any cheaper than a CNC machine and a chunk of the right metal?

 

[Catanonia]

If people are worried of this 3D printing revolution, shouldn't CNC + CAD have been an even bigger threat? But it just isn't, I can't see a 3D printer strong enough to print a gun/usable engine part is going to be any cheaper than a CNC machine and a chunk of the right metal?

Simple, Joe Bloggs or myself do not have the skills to machine. Printers do CNC + CAD = many many $10000's. 3D printers can be had already for $3000 and I have seen for $1250 and no skill required.

edit : The printer with the wrench was obviously not in this class, but the price will come down.

 

[Glaucus]

i think people are getting carried away - you can print plastic, big deal -lots of stuff mentioned in this thread can't be done by 3d printing and probably never will unless they invent 'magic'.

It can be done. They can even print basic circuits etc. but they cost a lot. It will be possible one day.
ATM any thing in the price range of a home user is pretty usless for most things as it as you say prints plastic. They can't make complicated items.
But you don't need magic at all and it will one day be possible.

You can even laser fuse metal together in some 3d printers.(winter printing)

 

[Glaucus]

If people are worried of this 3D printing revolution, shouldn't CNC + CAD have been an even bigger threat? But it just isn't, I can't see a 3D printer strong enough to print a gun/usable engine part is going to be any cheaper than a CNC machine and a chunk of the right metal?

CNC/cad is the same as 3d printing. All have been available for ages. The difference now is cost and co plexity. Cost is in the reach of ordinary people and the software to operate them has left the dark ages behind and is now easy to use.

I want a home CNC machine, but it's more expensive than the 3d printer I'm building, or will be when the parts arrive hopefully next month. Having CNC, lathe and 3d printer would be amazing. Hopefully at some point ill own all.

It's not going to be a problem for decades as I can't foresee it ever catching up with high tech. High tech just gets smaller and more complex. And at some point you'll be able to print out of date stuff. The new stuff will need a printer to expensive to be in the reach of the people. It's an interesting area and I think it may spread sel sustainability more mainstream, but I don't think big business has much to worry about.

 

[Catanonia]

Link to the clip I was on about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ-aWFYT_SU

Looking at it, maybe not as strong as hardened steel but still strong, but won't be long I am sure before they utilize some materials that can rival steel. Also this is not a hoax, just checked it out http://www.hoax-slayer.com/3D-printer-video.shtml

edit, this has got me interested now. It appears they have been able for years to printer layers of metal with lasers to give metal 3d printer. This is expensive, but it is possible and has been done for sometime.

 

[aardvark]

It can be done. They can even print basic circuits etc. but they cost a lot. It will be possible one day.
ATM any thing in the price range of a home user is pretty usless for most things as it as you say prints plastic. They can't make complicated items.
But you don't need magic at all and it will one day be possible.

You can even laser fuse metal together in some 3d printers.(winter printing)

its the strength i'm wondering about.
circuits etc are easy - we were doing that at uni 20 years ago - old technology.