Jenksismyhero Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 What's more important? Freedom of speech/dissemination of information on the web or safety from guns? http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/...tate-department Seems odd that the state department would freak out over this. I'd imagine being able to track who buys $8,000 3d printers (and the material needed for them) would be pretty easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 How would they track that any more than they could track who buys an $8,000 stereo or diamond necklace? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenksismyhero Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 (edited) QUOTE (StrangeSox @ May 10, 2013 -> 10:00 AM) How would they track that any more than they could track who buys an $8,000 stereo or diamond necklace? The articles make it seem like only one company making the printer and a specific software can make the gun. Edit: Well, I guess multiple printers, but a specific software: The gun blueprints take the form of computer-aided design files, which have to be read by specialist software which can then be used by industrial 3D printers to build up the hair-thin layers, one by one, to create the finished parts. Still, 3d printers are very new and it's not a product an average american is going to buy. They're industrial machines. Edited May 10, 2013 by Jenksismybitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 There's a huge range of companies that offer 3D printers. Since the file's down, I can't check, but I imagine that it's a generic 3D CAD file, a .stl or .stp or .iges or something. Could be opened in any 3D CAD program and interpreted by any 3D printer unless they did something weird so that you could only use one specific type of printer. There's several different types of 3D printing technology and maybe this gun only works with one of them, but there's still multiple manufacturers of the printers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ May 10, 2013 -> 10:03 AM) The articles make it seem like only one company making the printer and a specific software can make the gun. Edit: Well, I guess multiple printers, but a specific software: Still, 3d printers are very new and it's not a product an average american is going to buy. They're industrial machines. They're pretty bad-ass! Wish I had one. I'm sure any of these printers comes with the CAD-CAM software necessary to run the printer with any generic part file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenksismyhero Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 I saw they're using these printers to make synthetic ears, which would be attached to kids/adults missing ears, and then they graft skin over the plastic/gel/whatever material. Pretty crazy/awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reddy Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ May 10, 2013 -> 09:50 AM) I saw they're using these printers to make synthetic ears, which would be attached to kids/adults missing ears, and then they graft skin over the plastic/gel/whatever material. Pretty crazy/awesome. yeah we're pretty damn close to having replicators from star trek. so cool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabiness42 Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 I saw they're using these printers to make synthetic ears, which would be attached to kids/adults missing ears, and then they graft skin over the plastic/gel/whatever material. Pretty crazy/awesome. Not long before hookers become obsolete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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