Has 3D Printing Been Over-hyped?

3D printing is overhyped. a new technology to create cheap plastic artifacts is hardly the answer to anyone's prayers, and professionally, the 3d Printers that work with metals require Amazingly large investments in furnace technology to result in a useable part with mechanical properties.

Hype.

Milo

Impossible to say if the hype is "over." There is the point that 30 years ago people couldn't conceive of much use of a home computer. I never bought into that since as a CompSci virtually from birth I sensed the potential of such general-purpose machines. I have the same sense with 3D printers. If the tech still centers around just 2-3 types of plastic then its ubiquity will be limited. But if it finds more variety, eventually most people will have one. From printing a new curtain bracket to fixing your sunglasses to custom artwork (all made out of plastic, for now), the possibilities are only limited by the available form factor and the ability to create.

I've used one many times, and sadly the detail and dimensional accuracy (at least of ours) leaves a lot to be desired. Certainly not worthy of making an actual product. All we've really found it useful for is to make rough physical mockups for upper management to hold in their hands. It seems many of them are strangely incapable / reluctant to look at a 3D model on a screen.

So far the best use of 3D printers is for making parts to build more 3D printers.

Wikipedia Reprap

That's a significant capability to the extent it's fully realized. Someone also printed a gun receiver that lasted 10 shots before cracking. Sky's not the limit, I tell ya. Now if I could only conceive and execute a good business model... :)

Actually, ExOne company has been using them to make one off and limited run metallic parts for prosthetic hands. But the printers are a very small piece of their capital investment. The furnaces for post printing processing run in the millions.

Milo