3D Printing Blue Paper by promotional products retailer 4imprint

4imprint.com

3D Pr int ing

© 2013 4imprint, Inc. All rights reserved

3D pr int ing: S i t back, re lax and watch a revolut ion unfold

You know something is big when the President of the United States is talking

about it. In his State of the Union address, President Obama said that 3D

printing technology “has the potential to revolutionize the way we make

almost everything.”1 Indeed, 3D printers are moving out of the lab and into the

workplace, prompting everyone from Obama to CNN to call it “revolutionary.”

But what’s the big deal? I mean, it’s cool, but revolutionary? Is it really the

beginning of the second industrial revolution? According to Hod Lipson, author

and blogger from New Scientist, it is:

Machines today can print objects out of almost any material—from nylon

to glass, from chocolate to titanium—and with any complex geometry.

This is transforming not just engineering, but many other fields, including

education, archaeology, bio-printing and even food printing. Look online

and you will see thousands of objects ready to be printed on demand,

from custom-shaped hearing aids to authentic-looking replicas of ancient

cuneiform tablets.2

3D printing is set to impact the business landscape, especially financially. Estimates

show that 3D printing generates $1.7 billion to the U.S. economy each year, and

that number is expected to reach $3.7 billion by 2015.3 In other words, in just two

short years, the industry is expected to double, not by millions, but by billions.

It can’t be denied, 3D printing is legitimately remarkable. If you think it’s

merely about printing three dimensional products on paper or something you

enjoy at the movie theater, think again. It’s much more than that; it’s about

creating objects and tangible products that can potentially transform

businesses and homes.

3D printing allows actual objects to be designed and created (or “printed”)

surprisingly fast using a computer connected to a printer-like device. It uses

assigned materials (anything from plastic to titanium) as “ink” and “paper.” Some

experts say 3D printing will usher in a new era because it enables the production

1 Gross, Doug. “Obama’s Speech Highlights Rise of 3-D Printing.” CNN. Cable News Network, 13 Feb. 2013. Web. 10 June 2013. <http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/13/tech/innovation/obama-3d-printing>.

2 Lipson, Hod. “3D Printing: The Technology That Changes Everything.” New Scientist: Technology, 3 Aug. 2011. Web. 10 June 2013. <http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21128236.100-3d-printing-the-technology-that-changes-everything.html>.

3 Petronzio, Matt. “How 3D Printing Actually Works.” Mashable. N.p., 28 Mar. 2013. Web. 10 June 2013. <http://mashable.com/2013/03/28/3d-printing-explained/>.


of objects of any shape. According to the Harvard Business Review®, it will cause

businesses in supply, manufacturing and retailing chains to rethink their strategy

and operations. Some predict it will have global implications, and countries like

China will see their role as manufacturing powerhouses decline.4

This Blue Paper® examines the phenomenon of 3D printing, starting with the

basics of how it works. It then reviews the implications to the corporate and

educational framework and how it might impact your business and the world.

Finally, it will explore whether the hype surrounding 3D printing is valid and gives

an overview of some practical uses in well-known companies.

3D pr int ing: How it works

At first glance, the 3D printer looks remarkably like your desktop printer or

office photocopier. But looks are deceiving, because the 3D printer is no average

machine; it’s a masterpiece that combines technology and engineering in one

pretty but impressive package. Figure 1. shows a standard 3D printer that might

be used to print commercial products.

Figure 1. Sample 3D printer.5

3D printing starts with a concept. The first stage uses computer aided design

(CAD) or animation modeling software. The idea is to create a virtual blueprint of

the object you want to print. The printer translates the object into digital cross-

sections so the printer can build it layer by layer. The cross-sections essentially act

as guides so that the object is the exact size and shape you want.

After the design is completed, it is sent to the 3D printer with the standard file

extension .STL (for “stereolithography” or “Standard Tessellantion Language”).

STL files divide the data into readable forms for the printer to understand. It’s

complicated, but the gist of an STL file is that it translates data into a readable

format for the printer.

4 D’Aveni, Richard D. “3-D Printing Will Change the World.” Harvard Business Review. N.p., Mar. 2013. Web. 10 June 2013. <http://hbr.org/2013/03/3-d-printing-will-change-the-world/>.

5 The Radicalness Of 3d Printing | ACCELER8OR. N.d. Photograph. ACCELER8OR. 23 Sept. 2012. Web. 08 July 2013. <http://www.acceler8or.com/2012/09/the-radicalness-of-3d-printing/>.


It’s important to clarify that 3D printing is characterized as “additive”

manufacturing. That means a solid, three-dimensional object is constructed by

adding material in layers. This is different from “subtractive” manufacturing,

where an object is constructed by cutting (or “machining”) raw materials into a

desired shape. As a result, 3D printing uses less raw materials to produce products.

Some say that calling the process “printing” is a misnomer in itself, because the

process mimics the basic elements of manufacturing.

After the completed design file is sent to the 3D printer, you choose the specific

material for printing. Depending on the printer, the materials can be plastic,

paper, rubber, metals, nylon, glass, titanium and more. Even chocolate items can

be made with 3D printing, but you must select a printer designed for the type

of material you want to use. Processes vary depending on the material, but the

material is usually sprayed, squeezed or otherwise transferred from the printer

onto a platform.

A 3D printer makes passes (much like an inkjet printer would) over the platform,

building layer upon layer of material to create the finished product. If you look

closely, you can see the layers on most 3D printed objects. It can take several hours

(or days) to print an object, depending on the size and complexity. This is why 3D

printers are available in different shapes and sizes; they need to be big enough

to accommodate the product that’s being made. But the process is essentially

the same—different layers are automatically fused to create a single three-

dimensional object in dots per inch (DPI) resolution.6 The product that results is in

the final format; no additional steps need to be taken before it’s shipped or used.

The following diagram gives a visual of the 3D printing process.7

If you have five minutes, there’s a video on YouTube® that shows 3D printing in

action. The Financial Times video, “3D printing, bigger than the Internet,” shows

how a small scale printer is used to print small toys and household items, like

napkin rings. It takes about two hours to print a napkin ring using a small cube


7 Drell, Lauren. “Everything You Wanted to Know About 3D Printing But Were Too Afraid to Ask.” Mashable. N.p., 28 Feb. 2012. Web. 18 June 2013. <http://mashable.com/2012/02/28/3d-printing-shapeways/>.


printer that’s available in the retail market for about $1300. It also displays the

machine printing a small complex toy at a cost of less than $3, and discusses how

the manufacturing costs to produce the item would be much greater.8

You might be surprised by what can be printed using 3D technology. Figure 2

shows a customized pair of shoes printed by a designer in Amsterdam.9 Look

closely, and you’ll see it even has a cell phone holder built into the shoe.

Figure 2. Customized shoes printed by Alan Nguyen of Freedom of Creation.

Did you know 3D printing can be used to build a car? Jim Kor from Canada,

developed a working, fuel-efficient car using 3D printed parts (Figure 3.). The

car is designed to last 30 years, and according to experts, uses eight times

less energy than a similar vehicles and gets around 200mpg.10 Because it’s so

lightweight, it can go up to 70mph using an engine with far less horsepower

than normally required.

Figure 3. The Urbee Car, developed by Jim Kor of Winnipeg, Manitoba was

created using 3D printed parts11

There’s a lot that’s being made with 3D technology printing and the additive

manufacturing process. But before you rush to the store, it’s worth noting that

8 “3D Printing ‘bigger than Internet’” YouTube. The Financial Times Videos, 06 July 2012. Web. 18 June 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRv4jp-hhBE>.

9 Rossetti, Rian. “7 Amazing Things a 3D Printer Can Make.” GlobalPost. N.p., 24 May 2013. Web. 18 June 2013. <http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/business/technology/130523/3d-printers-possibilities>.

10 Bates, Daniel. “Rolling off the 3D Printing Press... the World’s First ‘printed’ Car - and It Actually Works.” Mail Online. N.p., 23 Sept. 2011. Web. 18 June 2013. <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2041106/Urbee-The-worlds-printed-car-rolling-3D-printing-presses-.html>.

11 Ibid.


there are limitations. One limitation is materials. Not every printer can print any

material, and if you want multi-material printing you’ll need to purchase a higher

end model. If you want to print something that’s on the larger side at home,

you’re limited as well. Most 3D printers are the size of filing cabinets, so you can’t

print anything bigger than a mini-fridge. But that doesn’t mean it can’t have

value. You’d still have the ability to produce customized items for gifts or practical

purposes, and some would say that’s priceless.

How much do 3D pr inters cost?

It depends. Smaller printers, designed to print toys and small gadgets, can

cost as little as $500-1,000. It’s interesting to note that’s the same price as

laser printers when they were first introduced in the market in the 1980s.

But larger, more complex models cost anywhere from $15,000-59,000. Heavy

duty models might cost as much as half a million up to $600,000.12

But, the cost of 3D printers has decreased dramatically since about 2010. Machines

that once cost more than $1 million a decade ago can be purchased for as little

as $400.13 Affordability is a driving factor of 3D printing, because it is now an

accessible technology for small businesses and individual consumers.

Conduct a quick search on Amazon® and you’ll see business for 3D printing

starting to boom. If you’re looking for 3D printing services, multi-material 3D

printers, or fast 3D printers, Amazon will point you in the right direction. There’s

also a plethora of books that can explain the process or tell you how to create

CAD designs for printing. Clearly, 3D printing is becoming a huge market for both

consumers and manufacturers.

The al lure of 3D pr int ing

Truth be told, 3D printing is not a new concept. In fact, the first working

3D printer was created in 1984 by Chuck Hull of 3D Systems Corp.14 Since

that time, technology advancements have made 3D printing more accessible

and economical.

In the past decade, 3D printing was primarily used to make prototypes quickly

and cheaply before a model was sent to a manufacturing company to build it in


13 Newman, Graeme. “The New Age of Technology: 3D Printing.” Insurance Journal News. N.p., 6 May 2013. Web. 13 June 2013. <http://www.insurancejournal.com/magazines/features/2013/05/06/290460.htm>.

14 Ibid.


bulk. Now that 3D printers’ capabilities are increasing and a variety of different materials is more available, it’s becoming cost effective to use the printers to make final products. According to The Economist® in fact, more than 20 percent of 3D printing is used to develop final products, and this number is expected to grow to 50 percent by 2020.15

It sounds almost unbelievable, but 3D printing enables the creation of things that until recently were only imagined. New Balance®, for example, is creating customized shoes for professional athletes via 3D printing. The picture below (Figure 4.) shows high performance running shoes that were created using a 3D printing process known as selective laser sintering.16 Plastic powder is hardened layer-by-layer to create a shoe that’s lightweight but customized to how an athlete runs. The process analyzes biochemical data for each athlete using sensor-laden shoes to capture motion and input it into technology. This demonstrates how the unimaginable is translated into reality with an infused level of customization.

Figure 4. New Balance customized running shoes printed by a 3D printer.17

Last year, a team of researchers, engineers and dentists used 3D printing to create the world’s first prosthetic beak for a wounded bald eagle.18 It’s also been used to create medical implants, jewelry, lampshades, racing-car parts and customized mobile phones. And that’s just for starters. 3D printing can also create hearing aids, custom leg braces and even a titanium jaw. If you’re starting to think it’s something from outer space, you’d be correct. Recently, NASA used 3D printers to help Mars-bound astronauts print what they need as they travel. You can even use 3D printing to make mechanical devices. A graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), printed a grandfather clock that actually ticks as it hangs on a wall.19 The list is growing daily, and tomorrow, there will be items we

haven’t even thought of being printed in three dimensional forms.

15 “The Printed World.” The Economist. N.p., 10 Feb. 2011. Web. 11 June 2013. <http://www.economist.com/node/18114221>.

16 Liszewski, Andrew. “New Balance Adopts 3D Printing To Create Hyper-Customised Track Shoes.” Gizmodo Australia. N.p., 14 Mar. 2013. Web. 18 June 2013. <http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2013/03/new-balance-adopts-3d-printing-to-create-hyper-customised-track-shoes/>.

17 Liszewski, Andrew. “New Balance Adopts 3D Printing To Create Hyper-Customised Track Shoes.” Gizmodo Australia. N.p., 14 Mar. 2013. Web. 18 June 2013. <http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2013/03/new-balance-adopts-3d-printing-to-create-hyper-customised-track-shoes/>.

18 Houser, Nancy. “Hurt Bald Eagle Gets New 3D-printed Beak.” Digital Journal, 17 Sept. 2012. Web. 11 June 2013. <http://digitaljournal.com/article/332965>.

19 “The Printed World.” The Economist. N.p., 10 Feb. 2011. Web. 11 June 2013. <http://www.economist.com/node/18114221>.


And that’s why 3D printing is being called revolutionary. Picture your life

with a 3D printer at home. Imagine you had the ability at your fingertips to

print what you want when you need it. Do you need to replace a light bulb?

Forget running to the store, why not just download a design from a popular

website and print a new one? If you need a specific part for your bike, find

it online and print it instantaneously, instead of waiting days for a mail-

ordered special part. Want to make replacement Lego’s® for your kids? That

can be done, too. Convenience is a click away, and that’s what makes 3D

printing amazing enough to be called revolutionary.

As a result, there are a lot of implications for 3D printing, for both at home and

abroad. Let’s review how 3D printing may impact manufacturing and healthcare,

and the impact it will have on small businesses and the global economy.

The 3D transformation

3D printing has the potential to transform several industries. It could change how

we make everything from toys to healthcare products. Some claim that it will

impact small businesses as well as the global economy. We know the implications

could be far reaching, but, no one knows exactly how much it will change the

way we do business. As summarized by The Economist in 2011:

Just as nobody could have predicted the impact of the steam engine

in 1750—or the printing press in 1450, or the transistor in 1950—it is

impossible to foresee the long-term impact of 3D printing. But the

technology is coming, and it is likely to disrupt every field it touches.20

-The Economist, February 2011

Manufacturing is one area expected to change as a result of 3D printing because

it lowers costs and risks. The Economist claims it will prompt a technological

“change so profound [it] will reset the economics of manufacturing.”21

Research agrees that the manufacturing industry will experience the greatest

transformation as a result of 3D printing, and it’s important to understand how

and why manufacturing might see dramatic change.

As noted, the traditional manufacturing process is “subtractive,” meaning items

are cut, drilled and assembled by machines. This process requires more raw

material to make something, because you need to cut it down into the shapes

and sizes required for assembly. And when you make a design change, the

machine requires retooling.

20 “Print Me a Stradivarius.” The Economist, 10 Feb. 2011. Web. 11 June 2013. <http://www.economist.com/node/18114327?story_id=18114327>.

21 Ibid.


3D printing changes all that. It uses additive manufacturing to build objects in

layers. Using the material of your choice (you can pick anything from chocolate

to concrete), a 3D printer builds objects gradually. Because objects are built using

software, when you make a change, instead of adjusting a machine or creating a

mold, you change a drawing on your computer. You can easily adjust the size of

the object, or make them each differently without costly changes. You can also

experiment with a product and try new things. As a result, costs and risks are

lowered because you don’t need to produce items in bulk to recoup building and

assembly costs.

Let’s explore how additive manufacturing (i.e. 3D printing) might specifically

alter the subtractive manufacturing process (i.e. using raw materials to cut and

assemble products). First, additive manufacturing can alter the assembly line.

Some pieces can be produced at a single station, and that could eliminate the

need for product assembly. That means labor costs may be reduced. Simply put,

companies may not need as many people to assemble products.

Ford®, for example, already used 3D printing to reduce engine production time

by one month. Its high efficiency engines required prototype casting that was

streamlined by using 3D printing. Now a complex part with ports, ducts, passages

and valves is produced with 3D technology, and that shaved a month off of

production time.22

3D printing will similarly help with inventory control in large manufacturing

companies. The current process includes the production of thousands of products

at a time because it’s either cost effective or because sales projections say that’s

how many a company will need. But what if a company was able to produce

on demand? What if it only made the exact number of products it needed?

Warehouses to store unsold items would no longer be needed, and there’d be less

material waste and overhead. That would greatly reduce costs associated with

bulk production.

This translates into less material, less labor, and less startup costs to produce

products. Entrepreneurs, in particular, may benefit from 3D printing because it

will eliminate the need for large capital and startup costs to make something. As

Paul Gustafson, director of innovation technology at the technology company

CSC™ explains, “You don’t need all of the capital involved in the creation of things

anymore. You now have the opportunity at a small scale, even as a hobbyist, to do

it yourself, and do it pretty eloquently.”23

22 Lariviere, Marty. “Why The Future Of 3D Printing Is Now.” Business Insider Australia. N.p., 7 June 2013. Web. 17 June 2013. <http://au.businessinsider.com/why-the-future-of-3d-printing-is-now-2013-6>.

23 “The Future of 3D Printing Services and Manufacturing.” CSC: BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, TECHNOLOGY AND OUTSOURCING. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 June 2013. <http://www.csc.com/innovation/insights/92142-the_future_of_3d_printing_services_and_manufacturing>.


Small business owners may benefit from using 3D printing as well. If you own a

small business, it could mean the end of costly production or outsourcing costs.

If 3D printing becomes cheaper than manufacturing, a business could offer its

design concept directly to the consumer to print them at home. A small business

could be born online using a homepage and social media. As noted by Patrick

Himms from Yahoo!® Business Advisor, “at the very least, it gives—especially small

businesses—greater flexibility in tweaking and developing prototypes of new

products.”24 In the future, you might even see 3D print shops at the mall. All you’d

need to do is drop off the concept and the store will print your customized design

in the material you choose.

What about the healthcare industry? Some say 3D printing will completely

transform the healthcare industry because things that are costly and time

consuming to make become much easier with 3D printing. Plus, there’s a far

greater ability for customization. Think of improvements that can be made to

titanium bone implants, prosthetic limbs and orthodontic devices. The industry is

exploring ways to print soft tissue, with the hopes of printing veins and arteries

that can be used in surgery. Some experts say it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to

think of using 3D printing to print lifesaving organs.

In fact, there are already examples where 3D printing was used to save lives. A

year ago, a baby was born with a deadly condition that was difficult to treat

in normal circumstances. 3D printing was used in an emergency procedure to

treat the problem, and the baby survived. A year later, the child is thriving

with no further complications. This single story has huge implications for the

future of 3D printing in the healthcare sector. Imagine the boost to survival

rates if doctors are able to print medical devices on a per patient basis, at a

level of customization that addresses patient needs.25

Marketing efforts will need to find a way to incorporate more customization for

the consumer, and figure out how to communicate it most effectively. According

to an article by Eric Savits in Forbes®, 3D printing will require leaders to “adjust

their sales, distribution and marketing channels to take advantage of their

capability to provide customization direct to the consumer.”26 Experts also say

that 3D printing will create an entirely new way to reach customers and fans of

24 Himms, Patrick. “Looking Forward: How Will 3D Printing Affect Business and Marketing?” Yahoo! Small Business Advisor. Business 2 Community, 5 Apr. 2013. Web. 14 June 2013. <http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/advisor/looking-forward-3d-printing-affect-business-marketing-232305009.html>.

25 “3D Printing Breakthrough Saves Baby’s Life.” Marlin Equipment Finance Media Room. N.p., 23 May 2013. Web. 14 June 2013. <http://mediaroom.marlinfinance.com/healthcare-equipment/3d-printing-breakthrough-saves-babys-life-marking-huge-advance-for-healthcare-technology/>.

26 Savitz, Eric. “Manufacturing The Future: 10 Trends To Come In 3D Printing.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 07 Dec. 2012. Web. 12 June 2013. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/ciocentral/2012/12/07/manufacturing-the-future-10-trends-to-come-in-3d-printing/>.


your products, brands, and business.27 What if, for example, instead of sending customers promotional flyers you sent them 3D designs that they could print from their own printer as samples?

The potential of the 3D printer for homeowners and DIY enthusiasts is growing. Some say it could become an essential tool to help you fix stuff around the house.28 Say you need a new shower curtain ring or a custom light switch, what if you can just print it at home? For some homeowners, 3D printing may make the future seem a little brighter. Although 3D printers are not quite integrated into households, the latest generation of models, such as Cube® by 3D Systems, the Cubex™ or Makerbot’s Replicator™2X, retail between $1,000-3,000 dollars, and bring the possibility of household manufacturing a lot closer to home.29

A few online communities are already providing downloads of common items with designs to send to your 3D printer. Thingverse, for example, has an online library of objects you can freely download and print on any 3D printer. It was launched in 2008, and as of 2012 reported 25,000 designs that can be downloaded and printed. Thingverse items range from cookie cutters to phone cases, car parts and lens caps. There is even a section for art and fashion. A lot of other resources are popping up, too. Shapeways and Scultpteo are two other companies that can either help you design concepts or provide ready-made designs for purchase.

As technology progresses, 3D components will make things greener, too. In the near future you might take a flight on an airplane that has 3D printed components. Boeing®, for example, already used 3D printing to make more than 22,000 parts on civilian and military aircraft in the air today.30 You won’t even notice, but it will be lighter and more fuel efficient. The same thing will happen in your car, the automotive industry will begin to use more 3D printed parts to make cars lighter and greener. Even appliances will start to have 3D printed components, but most consumers will not even notice.

In the area of education, 3D printing will have a profound effect. Some claim it will revolutionize the classroom and provide new learning methods and opportunities. For instance, with 3D printing students will be able to create prototype designs in class. Maybe history students will print exact replicas of artifacts to study in depth or perhaps architectural students will bring home designs of their creations. Check out the online infographic by TeachThought that

shows the different ways 3D technology will impact the classroom.31

27 Himms, Patrick. “Looking Forward: How Will 3D Printing Affect Business and Marketing?” Yahoo! Small Business Advisor. Business 2 Community, 5 Apr. 2013. Web. 14 June 2013. <http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/advisor/looking-forward-3d-printing-affect-business-marketing-232305009.html>.

28 Johnson, Dave. “Why 3D Printing Will Transform Every Industry.” CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 18 Jan. 2013. Web. 10 June 2013. <http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505143_162-57563759/why-3d-printing-will-transform-every-industry/>.

29 Ibid.30 Hsu, Jeremy. “3D Printing: What a 3D Printer Is and How It Works.” LiveScience.com. N.p., 21 May 2013. Web.

18 June 2013. <http://www.livescience.com/34551-3d-printing.html>.31 10 Ways 3D Printing Can Be Used In Education [Infographic]. Digital image. TeachThought. N.p., 19 Feb.

2013. Web. 13 June 2013. <http://www.teachthought.com/technology/10-ways-3d-printing-can-be-used-in-education/>.


There’s some debate surrounding the global impact of 3D printing. Experts say

it is a long way from replacing mass manufacturing, but it’s not unfathomable.

What will happen to countries like China where much of their economy depends

on manufacturing products that are distributed abroad? Time will tell, but clearly,

any change in the way we conduct and develop business is likely to impact the

global economy.

Too much hype?

Is there too much hype surrounding the impact and future of 3D printing?

Some say yes. Carl Bass, author for Wired®, for example, says that 3D printing

is still an “immature technology” that won’t replace manufacturing or other

industry giants anytime soon.32 According to Bass, there is still a lot to figure

out with 3D printing:

We’ve built a magical aura around 3D printing—sci-fi style replicator!—

but as soon as anyone actually uses a 3D printer for any period of time,

they immediately wish for faster build times, higher quality prints, larger

build envelopes, better and cheaper materials … and so on.33

Bass goes on to compare the 3D printing revolution to the introduction of the

microwave, and how it was positioned as the next great invention to change the

way we cook. While it’s true, the microwave had a great impact in the kitchen, it

never replaced the stove or other cooking methods. The same rationale applies

to 3D printing; it will have an impact on the manufacturing industry, but it will

complement rather than replace it. According to Bass:

… just as the microwave didn’t replace all other forms of cooking as

initially predicted, 3D printing will not replace other manufacturing

technologies let alone industrial-scale ones for a variety of reasons. It

will complement them.34

Bass isn’t the only skeptic, either. Todd Grimm, President of T.A. Grimm and

Associates and a prototyping consultant, agrees. He claims that additive

manufacturing and 3D printing are “a poor substitute for conventional

manufacturing.”35 Grimm says the media has created a distorted reality of what

32 Bass, Carl. “Myths and Truths of the 3-D Printing ‘Phenomenon’.” Wired.com. Conde Nast Digital, 26 May 2013. Web. 18 June 2013. <http://www.wired.com/opinion/2013/05/an-insiders-view-of-the-hype-and-realities-of-3-d-printing/>.

33 Ibid.34 Ibid.35 Snodgrass, James. “Too Much 3D Hype, Says 3D Printing Consultant.” Plastics News. N.p., 28 Sept. 2012. Web.

18 June 2013. <http://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20120928/NEWS/309289975/too-much-3d-hype-says-3d-printing-consultant>


can be expected from 3D printing and that while the technology is impressive, it

has yet to save time or money. He points to the popular film “ParaNorman” that

used 3D printing for facial expressions, but according to Grimm, the media “failed

to tell you that the producers did not save a single dollar or a single second.”36

Mitch Free, Founder and Executive Chairman of MFG.com® submitted a

commentary to Forbes magazine that echoed these views. Free points out that

the term “printing” is actually a misnomer, and that it’s really about additive

manufacturing. Like any manufacturing method, the challenges of materials

and speed are obstacles for 3D printing.37 There are still limitations in the types

of materials that can be used to print 3D technologies and there is a question as

to the durability and strength of what is produced. Likewise, time is a factor. 3D

printing takes much longer than traditional manufacturing methods, and that

makes it cost prohibitive for some companies. While Free and others agree it

will have an impact, it will mostly be complementary to existing processes: “Our

supply chains will work differently and we will greatly expand our capability to

customize products on an individual basis,” he says.38

Whether or not 3D printers will become a fixture in the modern home is also

up for debate. The online magazine Engineering.com claims that the Gartner

study that predicts a drastic rise in the consumer availability of 3D printers is

exaggerated. First, it underestimates the difficulty in creating 3D models. Users

have to be proficient with 3D modeling software that is extremely complex if

they really want to benefit from 3D technology. True, online repositories provide

downloads of 3D models to print, but not everything you want will have a

ready-made design.39

Second, the knowledge required to print objects is extensive. Complicated items

require a trial-and-error process to ensure what is printed matches the vision. As

Peter Basiliere, research director and author of the Gartner study notes:

Once you have [3D modeling skills], now you still have to print it out,

and depending upon the consumer’s skill set, it could be a very difficult

process of trial-and-error getting the printer to produce the part that they

envisioned … Not that the printer is incapable, but there may be need for

support structures and other elements in the design that, if the consumer

isn’t proficient with the software, it leads to a bad print.40

36 Ibid.37 Free, Mitch. “3D Printing Doesn’t Live Up To The Hype Yet.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 12 Mar. 2013. Web. 18

June 2013. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/mitchfree/2013/03/12/3d-printing-hype-doesnt-equal-reality-ye/>.38 Ibid.39 Maxey, Kyle. “3D Printers Hyped Too Much?” ENGINEERING.com. N.p., 10 Apr. 2013. Web. 18 June 2013.

<http://www.engineering.com/3DPrinting/3DPrintingArticles/ArticleID/5567/3D-Printers-Hyped-Too-Much.aspx>.

40 Ibid.


The 3D controversy: f rom guns to copyr ights

Like anything, there’s a downside to the 3D printing revolution. Specifically, the

ability to create literally anything with a printer introduces a new level of risk and

concern. Namely, there’s a lot of legal questions to be answered surrounding what

should be regulated and who owns copyrighted designs and intellectual property

that are easily pirated on other sites.

Gun control, for example, is at the forefront of the debate with 3D

printing. In 2012, a group designed a firearm that was downloadable for

3D printing from the Internet. The gun required standard bullets and was

fully operational. The United States Department of Defense intervened

and ordered the removal of the printing instructions. However, even

after the U.S. government had the plans removed, they were still widely

available on other file sharing sites. As a result, some legislators proposed

regulations on 3D printers to prevent them being used for printing guns.

In response, 3D printing advocates suggested that such regulations would

be futile, could cripple the 3D printing industry, and could infringe on free

speech rights.

The issue raises a moral and ethical component to 3D printing. Some argue gun

control is the least of its concerns, since 3D printing can also be used to create

military parts, drugs and chemical weapons.41 What if terrorists are able to use

the technology to build even more complex chemical weapons? As Virginia Tech

researcher Thomas A. Campbell told the International Business Times®, “Every

technology can be used as a double-edged sword … the same thing occurred

with the Internet; the same thing occurred with cell phones.”42 Addressing these

concerns and issues in the future will be a difficult but necessary task.

The future of 3D printing will need to address copyright and intellectual property

issues. Think back to the music industry a decade ago and the intense debate

regarding sharing and downloading music online. The same thing, although on

a much larger scale, will happen with 3D printing. The debate on the ability to

easily copy, share, modify and print 3D objects will intensify. At question will be

the legality of using designs that are owned by other organizations, but it will

be difficult to monitor intellectual property issues once a design is pirated on

the Internet.

41 Palmer, Roxanne. “3D Printing Risks: Not Just Plastic Guns, But Military Parts, Drugs And Chemical Weapons.” International Business Times. N.p., 24 May 2013. Web. 13 June 2013. <http://www.ibtimes.com/3d-printing-risks-not-just-plastic-guns-military-parts-drugs-chemical-weapons-1275591>.

42 Ibid.


4imprint serves more than 100,000 businesses with innovative promotional items throughout the United States,

Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. Its product offerings include giveaways, business gifts, personalized gifts,

embroidered apparel, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it Notes, custom calendars,

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Sit back and enjoy the r ide

There’s no crystal ball to tell us how, when and where 3D printing will have

the greatest impact. But the future is here, and the landscape is indeed

changing. 3D printing will have an impact, but only time will tell how great

that impact will be. At a minimum, it will change the way we make some

things and the way we think about things. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the

show, it’s time to watch the 3D revolution unfold.

3D Printing Blue Paper by promotional products retailer 4imprint

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