If you could choose where the future of 3d printing moves in the immediate future which way would you prefer it to move?
-
Making current technology more reliable? think out of the box toaster, Plug it in and it works. No tweaking no messing around just throw an STL file at it and it prints flawlessly. (like toast)
-
Print with more exotic filaments, Technologies, ways or processes. You still get failures but you may be able to print a material that you can give to your dog as a chew toy as well as print a replacement tire for your car. But it will fail 25% of the time.
3, Keep current tech as it is and just make it faster, No major improvements or leaps in tech for say 5 years until everything can print at 200mm / sec
I know that my preference is just to make what we have now work. Figure out all the settings and speeds, filament is produced to a universal standard instead of everyone making their own vanilla cake. Make printers have certain standards of quality for cartesian or CoreXY, Home or office, however you split it. It’s frustrating from my perspective wanting to help people print but according to the videos they have seen 3D printing is so easy, and I have to be the A**Hole to tell them as they are about to buy one that sometimes you have to do maintenance on it. You may have to learn how to take apart your hot end and clean it, and sometimes a BLtouch is a good idea. Personally, I hold no punches when I sell anything, I tell customers the reality of 3D printing so at least they are making an educated purchase and they know what they are getting into. I just wish for me personally that what is perceived from watching youtube was closer to reality when you buy your first one.
Where would you all like to see the industry move if you could only choose one of the above for the next 5 years?