Three Dimensions!

This week, the New York Times ran a story on the ways that three-dimensional printing is changing the manufacturing industry. This technology, which prints layer upon layer of plastic (stacking them to create one three dimensional object in the same way that one sticks post-its together to make a block) to make anything from prosthetic limbs to cellphone cases, has been around for a few years. It is, however, seeing advances that simplify it and make it even more accessible to the public, such as faster print speed and cheaper processing costs. The Times aptly puts it as "it is manufacturing with a mouse click instead of hammers, nails and well.. workers". 

     The creation of a printer that could cater to mass production needs could eliminate the need to outsource jobs, as things can be made in a designer's place of business and save them shipping time and costs.It also makes it easier for budding inventors to create prototypes of things that they wish to invent, and therefore test them before making them with more costly materials. 

     Already companies have begun to experiment with three-dimensional design as their main focus of operations. Freedom of Creation is one such company, and they create 3d printed jewelry, clothing, phone cases, perfume bottles, lamp shades, and anything else the client asks for. They even print furniture. The company is based in Helsinki, Finland and was one of the very first companies to consider three dimensional printing as a viable way of creating useful products. 

     The emergence of easier ways to use faster technology always bring us back to the question of what's being pushed out in favor of it. The point of the Times article, in addition to calling attention to the innovation of the thing, also brought attention to the idea that one needs less people to click a mouse than they do to cast a plastic mold. 

Stools from Freedom of Creation

3d Printer at work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwuGbnjKJBc