3d Printing at UPS

Right, but it doesn't make sense for it to be on a retail floor then. All the machines should be in a big Amazon style warehouse to share supplies, service support, programmers, etc...

Did anyone see a listing of the stores at which the trial is being run?

Is it just me or would the material strength of 3D printed items have to become exponentially better for them to become a success for any kind of serious use?

I mean they mention car parts in the article - that would require more than an evolution in part endurance, it would have to be a revolutionary increase?

I guess you can use them to make molds for stronger parts but you cannot make the strong part itself.

Would you trust a 3D printed bolt or fastener in this current generation of material?

Maybe one day there will be a material you "bake" afterwards to make the atoms bond at a molecular level and make it as strong as if it was cut from a solid block of metal.

>"Is it just me or would the material strength of 3D printed items have to become exponentially better for them to become a success for any kind of serious use?"

Today I used a polymer extrusion printer to create a prototype in the lab. I used PLA, one of the two most common polymers for this type of 3d printing, and it is a very strong model. It's as strong as any injection molded instance of the same object would be.

>"I mean they mention car parts in the article - that would require more than an evolution in part endurance, it would have to be a revolutionary increase?"

It won't take a revolution in part endurance, in many instances the endurance is already there. People often conflate the 3d printers they see available to the consumer now with the absolute limit case of the technology.

This is an instance of an author describing the larval stages of a new phenomenon. The author describes something specific and currently possible: "...designers, entrepreneurs, start-ups and architects seeking models..." And then goes on to explain to a general audience the zeitgeist of this technology: On demand additive manufacturing.

A lot of the confusion associated with "3d printing can't do that" is that of the 3 main types of 3d printing, only one has seen somewhat widespread consumer adoption (so far): polymer extrusion printing. That's essentially most of what you see as commercially available today.

There are two other types: stereolithographic printing and laser sintering printing. Stereo will bring us higher resolution polymer based prints. Such as extremely intricate plastic tools capable of advanced capillary action for a laboratory. I recommend checking out Formlabs.

Laser sintering uses powdered bases to create metal and ceramic parts. Objects made this way can absolutely be very strong. This may bring the car parts to a repair shop near you.

Five to seven years ago, the state of polymer extrusion printing today would have been unthinkable. I'd put my money on laser sintering and stereolithography to follow a similar trend.

>"I guess you can use them to make molds for stronger parts but you cannot make the strong part itself."

I made a strong part today! :)

I would guess an extremely low percentage. What was the last item you bought that was essentially nothing more than a single piece of some kind of plastic?

3D printing has an arguable use-case (IMO) for 1-off plastic-y parts, but it's far from making anything overly complex or durable. When you think about any object that might have a market need for 1000 or more of the same thing (not a very large number) injection molding turns out better parts at an arguably lower price.

I like the idea of 3D printers, and I've played around in the past with vinyl plotters I've modified to cut wood veneers, and small CNC machines and the like, but I just can't figure out how to justify a current 3D printer beyond a novelty aspect.