It reminds us of the "food replicator" in the 24th century Star Trek television series: the ability to create inanimate objects as long as the desired molecular structure is on file. Of course, I'm talking about.....3-D printing! Essentially, a digital image of an object, for example, a metal knee joint, is sliced into thousands of layers which are then transferred to a printer. The printer then creates a physical, three-dimensional duplicate from metal, plastic or other materials. Cheaper 3-D printers ($1500-$2000) can make toothbrushes, toys and other simple products. Advanced printers ($500,000 and up) can duplicate sophisticated prototype parts for future car models ( Ford Motor Co.), metal pump parts (U.S. Navy) etc.
Turning science fiction into reality has always excited human imagination and 3-D printing is no different. Investors jumped on the bandwagon and shares in companies like ExONE skyrocketed Stock prices for some companies more than doubled in 2013. However, revenue grew at a meagre 25% so the hype exceeded expectations, at least in the short term. Since the start of 2014, stock prices for industry leaders like 3D Systems and Stratasys have dropped 40% and 20% respectively. One market analyst noted: "What the technology can do is interesting. But the printers aren't yet capable of an industrial revolution". But he also noted 3-D printing's biggest potential advantage: complexity, the ability to make a single unit without the necessity of dozens if not hundreds of individual assembly steps. Ah the future, once again we "boldly go where no one has gone before". If only we had a cat's 9 lives to see it all come true!
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