Now Comes the 3D Printer

We usually print text on white paper with printers, but now printers are coming that can print three-dimensional objects designed on a computer, without the need for paper or ink. These printers are already being used experimentally by doctors, dentists, architects, and even the U.S. military. IdeaLab’s Desktop Factory will bring a printer to the market this year priced at $4,995. Regarding this, IdeaLab’s chairman Bill Gross said, “We will simply bake a 3D model in an oven-like process to create it.” With the Desktop Factory 3D Printer, any three-dimensional object can be faithfully printed using a nylon-based material mixed with aluminum and glass, which is hardened by heat. This printer can print objects up to a maximum size of 25 x 20 x 20 inches weighing 90 pounds, and a minimum of 5 x 5 x 5 inches with a thickness of only 0.01 inch. The estimated cost to print per cubic inch is about $0.5. More details can be found at http://www.desktopfactory.com/.