I TOTALLY want this printer

Protomorph · May 17, 2007, 06:21:49 AM

http://www.youtube.com/v/ps0WEZbDjHE

this is the coolest printer EVER.

Reepicheep · May 17, 2007, 06:26:45 AM

That would add a whole new element to Freedom Force meshes!

Renegade · May 17, 2007, 06:41:17 AM

I'll be first in line if Kinkos can get these installed in their shops! :huh:

Uncle Yuan · May 17, 2007, 06:46:04 AM

I first heard about this technololgy maybe ten years ago - but it could only do simple solids and one color. This thing can do complex three dimensional structures with moving parts and in color!

I bet the "print cost" is monsterous!

Renegade · May 17, 2007, 06:48:06 AM

Anyone got $40k laying around that they don't need? :lol:

http://www.zcorp.com/products/printersdetail-450.asp?ID=1

Protomorph · May 17, 2007, 06:51:06 AM

I found the price for the 450 model of $39,900, but the Z310 is $25,900 (and the Z510 is $49,900)

they claim that the actual cost of the print is around $10 per model.

Tomato · May 17, 2007, 11:41:19 AM

I can't wait until this technology becomes commonplace and I can actually afford one. These are beautiful.

Volsung · May 17, 2007, 11:53:47 AM

BLOODY HELL!

I could create toys or costumes for my (hypothetical) kids!

Figure Fan · May 17, 2007, 12:00:36 PM

This is the most amazing thing I've seen in recent memory.

The Pwime · May 17, 2007, 12:01:50 PM

that is freaking insane.

Freedom Reborn action figures, anyone? :D

Alaric · May 17, 2007, 12:10:36 PM

Y'know, the technology for doing this sort of thing was first developed, as far as I know, more than 20 years ago. I have no idea why it's taken so long for it to get this far.

Volsung · May 17, 2007, 12:20:36 PM

Quote from: Alaric on May 17, 2007, 12:10:36 PM
Y'know, the technology for doing this sort of thing was first developed, as far as I know, more than 20 years ago. I have no idea why it's taken so long for it to get this far.

public necessity and profit.
Scientists got in stock 10 years advance of technology.

lugaru · May 18, 2007, 03:46:10 AM

Im setting up a permission request thread to turn meshes into hero clix, hehehee. So let me be the first... is this for real or is it like a college project "make a product and comercial" type deal? I mean if this is for real, it's totally sci-fi to me. Wow.

BatWing · May 18, 2007, 06:43:40 PM

wow
i gotta say whoever here has that printer then they're a god!

Podmark · May 18, 2007, 06:58:47 PM

Yeah, that was definitely one of the most amazing things I've ever seen!

The Pwime · May 20, 2007, 09:24:20 AM

Quote from: lugaru on May 18, 2007, 03:46:10 AM
Im setting up a permission request thread to turn meshes into hero clix, hehehee. So let me be the first... is this for real or is it like a college project "make a product and comercial" type deal? I mean if this is for real, it's totally sci-fi to me. Wow.

Heroclix!? Pfft! I'm looking forward to some 6-inch scale Freedom Reborn figures, with marvel legends articulation! :lol:

style · May 20, 2007, 09:48:22 AM

This would put toy companies out of business for sure!

Tomato · May 20, 2007, 04:10:31 PM

Quote from: style on May 20, 2007, 09:48:22 AM
This would put toy companies out of business for sure!

Not really. These things are way too expensive for most homes, so people at large won't be making them, and stuff like this would cut the time the companies need to make models in half. I don't think it's the same type of plastic eithor, which is another problem.

However, it'd still be fun to have all kinds of FR statues running around

Glitch Girl · May 20, 2007, 07:59:29 PM

[drools]

There was a company a while back that was offering to make Poser files into 3D models (pretty much like this thing except without color). To have one in my home.... [drools some more...]

Maybe someday.

Protomorph · May 20, 2007, 09:19:56 PM

basically, everyhting this makes would be a powder/binder construct (hence the laquer coating) but it would definately be a boon for making action figure molds.

Reepicheep · May 21, 2007, 12:12:29 AM

Quote from: Tomato on May 20, 2007, 04:10:31 PM
However, it'd still be fun to have all kinds of FR statues running around

I don't know about running - give Randy or Carravaggio a chance to move about and we'll be out of a galaxy in no time.

The Pwime · May 21, 2007, 11:45:36 AM

Quote from: Reepicheep on May 21, 2007, 12:12:29 AM
Quote from: Tomato on May 20, 2007, 04:10:31 PM
However, it'd still be fun to have all kinds of FR statues running around

I don't know about running - give Randy or Carravaggio a chance to move about and we'll be out of a galaxy in no time.

Which is why it's always best to print a LOT of heroes before printing any of the villains... :P

Renegade · May 21, 2007, 01:50:40 PM

There are several videos about this and similar printers on YouTube. They are worth watching just to see what's possible (a box with hinges! a ball bearing housing with rolling ball bearings!). Just search for 3D printer.

One video is in German, but in it a guy, look like a young artist type, takes this really interesting design of what looks like an apartment building in the shape of a forearm and hand (if that doesn't make you click over to YouTube, I don't know what will) over to what appears to be print shop that then prints (seems like the wrong word somehow, doesn't it?) out his design. That's the way for this sort of thing to reach the masses: being able to go to a storefront and have them print it for you.

I wonder what the per print job costs wind up being? Heck, I wonder if I could get some backing to set up a shop like that? Here in Hollywood, that would have to go over like gangbusters! Hmmm...

Panther_Gunn · May 21, 2007, 02:59:20 PM

Quote from: Renegade on May 21, 2007, 01:50:40 PMI wonder what the per print job costs wind up being? Heck, I wonder if I could get some backing to set up a shop like that? Here in Hollywood, that would have to go over like gangbusters! Hmmm...

Considering how it makes the objects, it might require a slightly different business model paradigm. Most of the continuing cost will be in ink and powder, so I'd fathom that a price scale based on weight would make the most sense. I'm sure that the CAD programs should be able to compute what the amount of space taken up by the model is (probably in cubic inches or mm/cm), and the weight of the powder should be a known factor. It would probably make things easier to have certain set amounts being the same, i.e. 1-4 oz, 5-8 oz, 8-16 oz, etc. Obviously, it would cost the individual less per item to make these things if they owned one than if they went to the local Kinko's, but that's the nature of Capitalism.

stumpy · May 25, 2007, 01:00:19 PM

Quote from: lugaru on May 18, 2007, 03:46:10 AMSo let me be the first... is this for real or is it like a college project "make a product and comercial" type deal? I mean if this is for real, it's totally sci-fi to me. Wow.

These are very real and, though they keep getting better, they have been around for quite a while now. We used to drool over these when I was in school for mechanical engineering. The current generation has better resolution, more colors, a little faster, better material, at about the same $40,000 price point. Lot's of design and prototyping shops use them. In that environment, a $40k printer doesn't seem like a huge deal when it can easily cost over a thousand dollars to machine a complicated model, even with nice NC machine tools.

But, I still know lots of design houses that don't have them, mostly because they are pricey and there is some upkeep, but also because the software 3D visualization tools are so good. You can CAD up a design and give a customer a very good idea of what he will be getting right on screen, including how components move, etc. Plus, when the client asks, "Can we make that grip a little thicker?" or "I think that housing needs a hinged access panel for maintenance", you can show him the change in minutes instead of hours.

Still, if I had forty large burning a hole in my pocket, I would love one of these. :drool:

Panther_Gunn, my guess is that the real issue in charging people for this kind of printing in a retail environment would be print time. Since the machines themselves are so pricey and you need more than one if you plan to open a 3D Kinkos to allow for maintenance and down time, it's not really material cost that's the issue. How long a particular design will tie up the machine is probably the biggest factor in price, since the printing is really slow. People would probably set prices high enough so that the machines are running at capacity, but people aren't lining up around the block. Someone could probably turn a nice dollar doing this and charging by the hour, at least until competition kicked in.

And, as others have mentioned, the models produced aren't "printed" of a very robust material, although it used to be possible to use sturdier "inks" so that models with moving parts wouldn't fall apart. I would imagine that is the standard now. But, it's not like you can print out a Tonka truck for a kid and he can horse around with it like he could a "real" one. Great for models, though.