Desktop fabricator may kick-start home revolution

[riffer]

From New Scientist (http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/dn10922-desktop-fabricator-may-kickstart-home-revolution.html).

A cheap self-assembly device capable of fabricating 3D objects has been developed by US researchers. They hope the machine could kick start a revolution in home fabrication – or "rapid prototyping" – just as early computer kits sparked an explosion in home computing.

[Blackbird]

We've been looking at the same website at lunchtime then! The article on making snap decisions and them being often better than considered ones was also interesting and applied well to riding decisions.

[Finn]

I'm gonna get one, fabricate an identical copy of itself and sell them for half the price.

I'll be rich.

[degrom]

Just think of all the nice part's you can make for your bike!!!

Make a few molds with it and you can create your own fiber/carben parts!!!

[Ixion]

But why does anyone want to fabricate so many desktops? Even at the office, let alone at home.

[degrom]

I am sure if you give it time,you will be able to fit it with parts that will be able to create aluminum parts!!!

[rwh]

Looks cool - I'm just worried that they're likely to keep the driver software proprietary, making it unusable for those of us who don't like helping Microsofts efforts to destroy their competition.

Hopefully I'll be proved wrong.

Richard

[Motu]

Invest now! In 10 years you could be laughing......or broke with 10 times more debt than you can ever pay....

Only marketing plan I see for it is making 9in chocolate cocks to sell to housewives at the market on sunday morning.....

[sAsLEX]

hmmm some of the objects look a bit rough and the type of materials are limited..... cant wait for the home kit SLS rapid prototyper Metal products straight away!

[SixPackBack]

We have just received an FDM machine; the 4th of its type in the country.

Stratasys FDM Titan. (http://intl.stratasys.com/fdm_products.aspx?id=127)

[degrom]

May I ask what it cost? (SixPackBack)

[riffer]

We have just received an FDM machine; the 4th of its type in the country.

Stratasys FDM Titan. (http://intl.stratasys.com/fdm_products.aspx?id=127)

That's a sexy piece of kit. Probably cost more than USD$2500 though...

My point in posting the thread originally was that this appeared to be something that the average home inventor could aspire to own. Somehow I reckon that Titan's out of my price bracket.

[Brian d marge]

Dont get me started on the cost of prototyping .... ouch

aparantly the machinist has to eat and pay for his family ,,,,the rotton swine

Then If I make any mistake with the dimentions ,,,I can do it again !!!

Stephen

[sAsLEX]

Then If I make any mistake with the dimentions ,,,I can do it again !!!

Stephen

Or even if you do it right but haven't allowed for proper heat dissipation or material flow you get to start again as well if your injection moulding!

[jrandom]

Frustrated with the cost and delay involved in SLA prototyping, a friend of mine (http://www.objectivedesign.co.nz/index.htm) has just started a new business aimed at this market.

The capital outlay was certainly more than USD2,500...

[vifferman]

Just think of all the nice part's you can make for your bike!!!!!
Mmmm... chocolate....