3D printing: A force for revolutionary change

3D printing takes weeks or months off the design process, but for years it stayed as a prototype process, trying things out.
Now that's changing. Better techniques and materials are turning 3D printers into manufacturing operations - so-called additive manufacturers - as opposed to the cutting and grinding and sawing that has typified engineering up to now.
This is a great big step. It individualises industries which until now have been dominated by mass production. In theory, every single product can be different, made to measure, as operators learn how to make things with mixed materials on larger and larger scales.
In theory, it seriously reduces the need for factories, production lines, warehouses, transport around the world from great production hubs. Many things can be printed up for digital instruction in a neighbourhood print shop, and carried home under your arm, rather than shipped in container loads around the world.


A student at the University of Texas managed to create a gun using 3D printing

this is one of the negatives about 3D printing, aircraft hijacking just got easier, this weapon would certainly not be robust but would be fit for purpose for hijacking  or assassinations.

3D printing : A force for revolutionary change