It may seem like a stretch to envision a 3D printer in every
home. However, a Michigan Technological University researcher is predicting
that personal manufacturing, like personal computing before it, is about to
enter the mainstream in a big way.
“For the average American consumer, 3D printing is ready for
showtime,” said Associate Professor Joshua Pearce.
3D printers deposit multiple layers of plastic or other
materials to make almost anything, from toys to tools to kitchen gadgets. Free
designs that direct the printers are available by the tens of thousands on
websites like Thingiverse. Visitors can download designs to make their own
products using open-source 3D printers, like the RepRap, which you build
yourself from printed parts, or those that come in a box ready to print, from
companies like Type-A Machines.