Alumide

Transcription

Let's talk about 3d printing! 3d printing has been around for decades but has just recently gained popularity. Today you will get an introduction to how these machines work. Take a look at the animation modeling a 3d printer in action. Each time that the head of the machine makes a square motion it is added a layer. This is how most 3d printers work through a process called additive manufacturing. There are other types of 3d printers but this is the most common one. Now watch closely and you will see just what was talked about a few seconds ago. The head of the machine is adding to each layer until it has completed that layer. Then it moves on to the next layer and so on. For those of you wondering how the printer knows what goes on each layer or how the printer knows what it is printing, I've got the answer for you. 3D printers use CAD drawings from a computer and thus know what to print. That being said, you don't have to do CAD for a living to be able to 3d print something. 3D scanners exist so that even the technically challenged can simply scan an object and be able to print it on a 3d printer. Now look at this time lapse video of people assembling a 3d printer. This goes to show just how affordable and practical it is for you to have one in your home. In fact, if you check out Kickstarter you will see that there is actually a 3d printer kit that you can get for pledging only $100 or more. The printer I am referring to is a photolithographic 3d printer, which is a bit different from the one you are watching these people build, but is still quite amazing if you think about it. One hundred dollars, for your own 3d printer. For you StarWars fans out there, here is a 3d printer printing out Yoda Keychains. Now I know what you are thinking by now. The voice in your head is saying, well aren't all of these printers just printing plastic? So far that is all you have seen, but look at this 3d printer. 3d printers can print metal too. If you look closely you will see that the back two pieces were once at the same height but at this time the back piece is now much higher. So if we can already print metal and plastic right now, what are the possibilities for the future? They are quite infinite and it is thought that one day 3d printers will be self replicating, meaning that you will be able to print out a 3d printer. Wrap your head around that one, 3d printing out a 3d printer. Now let's look at some graphs that I think you should find really interesting. The first one is a stock chart for 3d systems corporation. They have the stock symbol DDD, which is pretty neat if you ask me. Get it? 3 Dees? Okay anyways, notice how it has been going up quite steadily since it hit the stock market? Now let's take a look at Google Trends for the words "3d printing". It continues to gain popularity and is at an all time high. Who is to say that this trend won't continue? Here is a look at a side by side comparison of these graphs. Notice the correlation? I am not saying go put your life savings into 3d printing but I am trying to get the point across of how big this industry is and how there is profit to be made. If you leave this video without at least checking out the resources below, you are going to regret it ten years down the road. The resources in the description below are the best place to start for anyone who wouldn't mind making a fortune off of this profitable technology. You owe it to yourself to at least check out the description and learn a little bit more.