Debunk The Five Most Common Myths About 3D Printing

We have heard rumors of how scary and harmful 3D printer can be, like when it was believed that firearm was printed in London or when someone used the technology to make a mask intricate enough to fool a facial recognition system.

3D printing is a process of making objects directly from computer models without the need for tooling. These machines may take liquid plastic ink or melting metal powder as material; however, when mentioning this technology, what first comes to people’s minds is spools of plastic.

Since most of them are designed and made by enthusiasts, they are actually affordable, with many models costing under Rs. 16,000.

No matter how widespread this technology can be, some people will get something wrong about it, so here we compile a list of the five most common myths about 3D printing.

Criminals Will Print Firearms With These Machines

Designs for guns that can be printed first surfaced on the Internet in 2013. While this is a real threat, the fact that there has not been any report of a crime involved 3D printed weapons in the last six years is proof that the danger is not as severe as you may think. Most experts in the field said that these firearms might bring more harm to their users than anyone else. Here is what a user said:

Printing something looks exactly like a gun is easy but most of them will require metal parts, as well as ammunition. So people who have the idea of making arms may have to deal with the risk of hurting themselves before they can inflict pain and fear on anyone else.

Not everything can be printed, at least for now.

It Is A Harm To The Environment

Some environmentally conscious people worry that once the process of making plastic objects are made easier by 3D printer, we may endanger the environment by creating even more plastic then we do now.

In reality, printing objects may reduce the amount of plastic than making them in the traditional way, which involves drilling and cutting. The material for the 3D printer is biodegradable so we can turn food waste into 3D printer’s filament. This technology is also an excellent way to recycle the plastic we have already had.

In fact, many projects try to help the environment are made possible thanks to 3D printers. For example, the idea of printing the coral reef to replace the destroyed ones. Another revolutionary idea is to 3D print meat to help cut down on emissions caused by cows.

It Will Steal Our Jobs

As with anything described as revolutionary, the development of 3D printing brings with it the fear of job losses. One of the prime examples is the ability to print complex shapes, threatening the role of component supplier.

However, what is actually happening now is that this technology is boosting business and make more career chances. Many people have made use of the technology to create their own products rather than letting them being exploited when working somewhere else. Coffee growers are also benefited from the technology as it enables them to make more affordable monitoring devices.

3D printing can also be used in education to offer children a better way to have hands-on experience with engineering and science.

If investing in an assembly line to make their ideas come true is too expensive, small business owners can now take advantage of 3D printing to make what they have in mind.

Everyone Will Print Fake Products

In the past few years, companies have used 3D printers to make anything, from dental crowns, hearing aid, to sports shoes. That raises the question of why don’t we print anything.

The reason why companies have not yet embraced this idea is that 3D printing is actually more expensive than mass-producing. Just like the way the music industry was reluctant to switch to digital sales. It is not easy for anyone to accept the idea that their intellectual property can be shared online.

The core property of the 3D printing community is the willingness to share and to learn from each other, so the fact that companies do not want everyone to know how their products are made will hinder the possibility of fake goods for some time.

A possible solution is to use blockchain to monitor the 3D –printed products. However, companies must first determine whether people who want to download and print the design out by themselves should be treated like a competitor or a customer.

It’s Too Expensive

When the fear of printed guns and the concern for the environment pass, what most people think is that this kind of technology will be too complicated for someone without a background in tech like them to master and try for themselves.

For those who do not want to stretch their budget for something they are not so sure can benefit them, many libraries now offer computers that can be used to create designs on tools that are free to download.

3D printers are actually very easy to purchase, and there is a bunch of pre-made design that you can download for some initial experience with the technology.

It takes time and effort for anyone to master the skills needed for 3D printing, but the good news here is, there is a growing community of like-minded individuals that are happy to share, learn, and help anyone interested in this technology.