3D Printers Go Hollywood

by Joseph Flaherty on March 11, 2009

A couple high profile stories featuring 3D printers stories have popped up over the last couple weeks:

1. Objet 3D printers being used to create the characters in Coraline.

2. Jay Leno uses a 3D scanner and a Dimension 3D printer to prototype and reverse engineer parts for his armada of antique cars.

The theme of most coverage has been that these projects demonstrate the impending availability/everyday utility of 3D printers. However, both cases demonstrate the utility of 3D printers in highly specialized fields, where master technicians use the output for applications with a great degree of insensitivity to price. The common vision for 3D printers is that it will enable us to manufacture everyday objects at our desks. The reality is that they will be used for more esoteric and exciting projects long before we use them to replicate a Swingline stapler. The Leno example is especially exciting as it demonstrates how this cutting edge technology can be used to rescue artifacts from a previous wave of innovation. It will be a while before 3D printers are competitive with injection molding for mass items, but they will help us innovate and continue to the push the boundaries of the “possible”.