UPDATE: this seems to have already been discussed, so apologies for not adequately checking before posting here... Just thinking aloud here... If so: (1) couldn't we just attach a welding tip to an end effector and have it build bead upon bead of material to create an incredibly strong metal part? (2) what would the cost of parts work out with the current cost of welding rods? (3) could wireby Senake - General
Bobc, Thanks for bringing the bounty sites to my attention - they certainly seem to make open source a bit more attractive. If local making, growing and manufacturing based around 3d printing are to flourish - and we were to see a step change in our rate of technological progress - my thoughts were that a platform should make mass - as opposed to individual demand - available to those with ideaby Senake - General
As the crowd funding sites and mainstream commerce has shown, if an individual or organisation can come up with an innovation or incremental development that fulfils a need or want, adds value or reduces cost - then consumers are happy to pay for it. If there portal - for profit, not for profit or consumer owned that: (1) incentivised consumers to list their everyday needs, less obvious wants aby Senake - General
As per my Compopoly post, how about having an 'Internet of wants' on CubeHero? People could add their names to 3d printer functionality or designs they would like to see eg. Everyday needs 1. Print my dinner a. Printing carbs wanted by: Jane Scott Paul Williams b. Printing veg. c. Printing meat. 2. Increaby Senake - General
As someone who has tried a number of 'old school' (IP) based ways to commercialise innovations (setting up a manufacturing company, licencing to big manufacturers) and who is on the verge of trying the open source/crowd source approach, I believe that there is a better alternative - a 'compopoly'. If consumers rather than 'distributors' (retailers, marketeers and lawyers) decided what reward valby Senake - General
I was just wondering if this had ever been tried? A piece of metal (raw material) would be charged (say negatively as the cathode) and suspended in a tank of electrolyte. The print head would comprise of a tiny positively charged conductive surface (the anode) mounted on an insulator that was moved around in the tank on a three axis, delta or other motion system as required. To start the print oby Senake - General