A Bid To Take 3D Printing Mainstream

Posted by samzenpus on Monday April 7, 2014 @07:18AM from the grandma's-printed-cookies dept.

Nerval's Lobster (2598977) writes "Can 3D printing go truly mainstream? Startup M3D is betting on it, having launched a Kickstarter campaign to create what it terms the first truly consumer 3D printer, built around proprietary auto-leveling and auto-calibration technology that (it claims) will allow the device to run in an efficient, easy-to-use way for quite some time. According to The Verge, the device is space-efficient, quiet, and sips power: 'One of the main obstacles between 3D printers and consumers has been clunky, unintuitive software. Here too, M3D promises improvements, having designed an app that's 'as interactive and enjoyable as a game' with a minimalist and touch-friendly interface.' Do you think 3D printing can capture a massive audience, or will it remain niche for the foreseeable future?"

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Huge by JimSadler · 2014-04-07 08:29 · Score: 1, Redundant

3D printing is a huge game changer. It may be the greatest thing since the invention of the wheel. A 3D printer that can build a home apparently already exists. A canoe or a camper might be rather easy to generate. Combine 3D printing with robotics and the handwriting is on the wall. On top of all of that we now have tiny computers that are surprisingly capable. What might a 3D printer do with material to build a robot powered by a Raspberry Pi?