Re: [Phys-l] 3-d printer

[chuck britton <cvbritton@mac.com>]

The one at TechShopRDU etc. has a pretty serious 'Materials' charge.
The cost of the machine is pretty steep too.

Ours gets used for 'one-off' prototyping of parts that will earn 
their keep in other processing machines.

Some nice baubles and bangles have been made - but not cheaply.

It's nice to have such a machine available - but it is FAR from being 
heavily used.

The LASER cutter on the other hand - is booked solid.
.
At 9:15 AM -0400 7/15/11, Marty Weiss wrote:
> Ok, thanks for the info.   More Questions :  if this printer can 
> make a wrench that works and is as strong as the demonstration 
> shows, why don't we see whole industries built around the 
> technology...  door knobs, locks, tools of all sorts, etc.  ... or 
> is it just cheaper to make them on the traditional assembly line? 
> Is this so expensive that the cost outweighs the convenience?  Which 
> brings up the thought of a store keeping inventory... say a hardware 
> store invests in a 3-d printer for a one-time investment.  The 
> proprietor can then buy one of everything and make more on the 
> printer instead of buying boxes of, say, wrenches at a cost 
> involving the price of the tool itself, plus shipping, not to 
> mention storage and shelf space. 
>
> Marty