[jb92563]

Originally Posted by geraintthomas

It's incredible isn't it, how far things have come.

"Damn it, that bracket just snapped on me. Ah well I'll just go print another one".

That'll be what will be said in a lot of house holds in the not too distant future, and it's bloody fantastic.

Right now I'm saying "Damn it, there is no model for that part yet so I'll have to make one myself."

And also, "Damn, that model I got free online does not 3D print properly so now I'll have to do the model validation and repair myself"

I guess I'll have to get back into 3D modeling. My first introduction to it was in college in 1983 at the early dawn of CAD and the beginning of the PC computer revolution.

Its kindof fun once you begin to master it but its like learning a foreign language, slow progress at first but then things start to come together and progress rapidly.

Its my impression that math and geometry is not something kids retain these days after school, so there will be the smart folks who can make anything they want and use their creativity and the others that will have to accept what is given to them.

I don't think the 3D printers will catch on in home use yet except for hobbyists.
Give it another 30 years to see if modeling can be done via the "Easy Button" and then pair that with 3D printing.