User:Tms54

Hello. My name is Thomas Stitt, I am in the 6:30 section. I'm an engineering science and math major, this is my blog.

Choice Blog Post When I was doing blog post 10 early today (very late) I was thinking about what would change in business and my mind wandered to legos. I would for sure be cool. I was making a computer case with legos but it got to the point where my childhood supply ran low so I went on a search for (specific) bricks to help finish my case but the cost was going to be huge. I saw around $4 for 12 2x4 bricks which puts the price around 33 cents a brick. Well what if you were to print them? (Let's remove the amount the time and color choice adds to the value of the printed brick though). From Brick Link we see 2.32g per brick and amazon gives $31 for a kilogram. This means 7.2 cents a brink (or 8 with outlining etc)! Much cheaper on a single part basis!! And even with average costs that's still cheaper!

Blog Post 12 It's interesting. I imagine something like the photobooths that are located in malls where you go with friends and get a series of pictures for a couple dollars with cool printed borders. It's definitely a cool usage that I hadn't thought about before but like all the sculptures and math art there is that you could have on your coffee table why not a model of yourself. At the current cost I would not and doubt my parents would buy one (of themselves or me) but with reduced cost I would consider. Maybe though it would just be too creepy... I cannot decide. I do know it would be a great funny present to give someone. Money making is the main reason I see for doing this but I do like the idea of a print every year of someone's life to remember them and showing your grandkids would be pretty awesome. The price definitely would drop with more competition but considering the price of 3D scanners and the cost of multicolor printers I bet the cost of the figurines is pretty high.

Blog Post 11 In my earlier school days I had trouble paying attention (I have that now but not from lack of interest, more lack of sleep...) but there were those classes where the teacher worked to be engaging (or I really liked the material). Incorporating 3D printers would be extremely useful to engage and spark interest and creativity in students who would otherwise look the other way in science and engineering classes and even art where having a "inability" to draw well can push students to a dislike of expression. Basically I agree with the idea that 3D printers would cause interest in STEM areas of study. In high school I had two years with amazing math teachers who did not just teach but let us create art from math, showed the beauty and simplicity of proofs and just made class fun although still difficult. I doubt I would have considered a major in math if not for these teachers who helped me find my love for math. This could easily be seen for some other kid and a love from a classroom with a 3D printer. It doesn't have to be a person that inspires. I've always had computers in my schools but near the end of high school they began to infiltrate classes more because of large funding and the realization of the great learning tool they are. The STEMulate program sounds like a current times (for some schools) scenario of computers in classrooms (although I realize that computers are still a struggle in many less fortunate schools with less funding).

Blog Post 10

If I had a 3D printer in my house the first thing I would print for sure is replacements to remote covers. I know this has been said before but it's a definite plus for those (most of us) who lose it. I also have some flash drive with broken cases that would be nice to print a case for. I expect that since you would be able to print new parts like said above or perhaps the hinge of a stereo's cd tray people would throw out less. Imagine too that you could buy the hardware of a digital music player and you could print the case anyway you wanted! That would be even cooler than a nice case. There are parts that could not feasible be printed but we might expect that the Eco-friendly manufacturers would make sure parts could be reproduce and provide the consumers with a central place to get the files to print these parts (like driver pages for computers). What about printing your own legos? Hmmm I'll make another post about that.

Blog Post 9

1.When I first started reading about the incorporation of 3D printers in libraries I was skeptical because that's just not what I think of when I think of libraries; they are quiet places with a lot of books and chairs. Or are they? Engadget's article brought this up and it made me remember when I was a kid I would go to the library to play games on the computers they had. The library I'm in now (Deike Building) is very quite but they do have computers and scanners and printers for people to use so taking that to three dimensions doesn't seem as weird as I thought initially. The point was also made that “You'll see that [libraries] were involved in buying technology that many people cannot afford and making them more accessible.” 3D printers (although they are getting affordable) fall into this category. I’m not much of a library person except for a quite place to go. From this prospective I have just putting 3D printers in would be a bad thing but there are many group study rooms in the Pattee Paterno library where group collaboration can take place and you could have a 3D printer lab. With all different opportunities PSU has I am surprised we do not have stations in a library but we do have fabrication (CNC, metal/wood working and of course 3D printing facilities) but they are not open to the public. Thinking about it more I understand the need for closed systems for most of these fabrication facilities because well you would not want anyone to come and just be able to use a table saw (accidents waiting to happen) but printers like those at the University of Nevada are user friendly and don’t need as much attention as the ones we use. With the numerous fields 3D models are beneficial libraries do seem like a good place to put 3D printers (It seems necessary though to charge for prints because the amount that would be requested otherwise would be very high and costs for a library would be too high).

Blog Post 8

1. It my previous talk about DRM I said that although (I thought) it would be implemented in 3D printing at some point the DRM would not hold up. The gizmodo article makes this point when referring to itunes old (failed) usage if DRMd songs. Let us say there is a store that sells 3D printable content at reasonable prices but with DRM. If the DRM is cumbersome in any way (having to apply updates, only printing from your printer etc) I for one would rather just download it illegally since why pay for something that is less featured than what you can get for free? If the price was fair though I would perfectly fine paying for a non-DRMd object. Some company will undoubtedly try to implement this copyright scheme for money making purpose but from all we've seen with past attempts at DRM I say it will push customers away and eventually fail.

Blog Post 7

1. Being able to create optical sensing devices on demand is something new, as typically we print passive components. What kind of implications can you imagine resulting from this?

At home now someone without electric (design/soldering etc) skills could make interactive devices, although you would need some kind of optical controller to source and receive the photons. It seems like switches and potentiometer like devices along with displays could be implemented easily but usage seems forced with the current technologies we have to day that can do the same. Simple light pipe displays seem to me to be the best usage.

2. What sort of difficulty would we have in implementing light piping using our printers?

I think that our filament diameter would be too large for some applications and the problem with not straight lines could be an issue because our printers have some wobble. Interfaces between light pipes with out printers would definitely be a problem from what I have seed in the filament junctions. Depending on the material properties of the filament used excess heat or fast cooling could possible cause clouding in the pipe.

3. In what applications might you find use for these sensors (contact switches, touch sensors, accelerometers, etc)? Do you have some project in mind where these would be useful?

Switches for sure and potentiometers could be done. Accelerometers could be done but small pipes sitting on springs would need to be used to make how I would and interfaces between the floating and reference pipes could be a concern. You could use them as lego like parts to build circuits. It would be cool if some or all of the switches and controller parts on the printer could be printed by the printer.

Blog Post 6

1. What do you think of bio-printing? What sort of legal problems or technical problems can you foresee?

I was pretty amazed when I saw it first. With all the ideas about what one could print with layers tissue and other "human parts" where not something that came to mind. Legally there would be a lot of concerns because if something went wrong in the functioning of something created people would sue. Some advocate groups would probably find it unethical and that could also create legal issues.

2. Do you think this might be extended to RepRaps for DIY bio-research?

Extending to RepRaps would be a health issue because (I think) to do this kinda stuff you would need clean rooms and bio-hazard stuff and probably in all those cases some type of certification. In this case DIY would be a lot more involved then printing with non tissue . One could "underground" 3D print but then there is the possibility of bio-warfare concern (I think with tissue printing one could create viruses or similar). There could also be a black market sales of organs with questionable quality.

Blog Post 5

1. Imagine that you were a dedicated member of the DIY gun project: What might you do now?

I would go though the steps to make sure that this (printing guns) is protected by the ATF like Wilson. Just stopping would make a descent amount of people mad and they might just try to make it just to go against the "haters". We would have also invested so much time that I would not want to give up as long as it was not an illegal procedure.

2. Another article asks ”Should 3D printing, especially when it’s being used to create items like guns, be regulated? Can you regulate it?” Check your Blog #3 Questions 1 & 3 (and my comments to them) if you haven’t already. Do you have any more to say about this issue of 3D printer regulation (gov’t or corporate)?

Even if there were regulations they would not work (look at piracy). I think it's also just an issue like hacking or lock picking where there are some people that will use/do it for fun but some will be malicious. The gov will I bet at some point try because they don't understand technology to a high degree and as for corporate holding copyrights on a part there would problems. Lost profits would send the corporation lobbying until the gov stepped in and the regulation may work for a little but it would not be effective.

3. Guns (and other weapons) seem to be prone to prohibitions. What other 3D printable constructs might attract similar attention/derision/prohibition?

Drug paraphernalia? Though most or all of drug related items are available to buy in stores. I could see keys or lock picking tools being an issue but again those are available online. Speciality keys like those for handcuffs I could see being printed and those would (i think) definitely cause controversy.

Blog Post 4

Comment on Makerbot’s position (as far as we know), Prusa’s concerns, and ownership of designs. Should we look for a new thingiverse?

From what Prusa said Makerbot is closing their firmware and claiming ownership of all thingiverse models. I understand how nice open source is but I understand that they need to make money and have investors to worry about so I feel they're justified in what they're doing even if it's against the scene. I also feel that those who just want a 3D printer and are not hardcore in the scene would not care or be strongly effected by non-opensourceness of the replicator and the others could and would want to build one. Prusa is concerned that makerbot owning all the designs on thingiverse could lead to a paid site for designs where all current designs would be owned by makerbot and could not be redistributed. If makerbot really does want to be owner of all designs and starts begin lame about it then yes we should look for a new thingiverse.

Blog Post 3

1. It seems that 3D printing isn’t going to disappear, but the exact nature in which it will develop is not well defined. On that note, we currently place restrictions (DRM) onto our media to control distribution, with limited ‘success’. Do you think this might be applied to 3D printing? How or why not?

I do think that when/if 3D printing get's popular with money making intentioned someone will try to use DRM software to limit deployment. Using a firmware that is not open source with decryption methods for encrypted files could be a plausible method to do this but like all other DRM methods it would eventually be broken or the unpopularity of it would make the product not cost effective.

2. According to Bowyer, many people have a great idea (or perhaps a passion) that they love to tell people about. What is yours? Do you see this as a way to attract future mates? (or to get money?) Why/why not?

Idea wise I don't have anything great. I really like shoes though. I also enjoy painting shoes that are worn down to give them new life to them. Running is also a passion of mine. I love it and not getting to run for a couple of days makes me grouchy and upset. I can see the running as a way because I have met so many awesome people though running. Seeing other people with awesome shoes definitely brings them up my scale so yeah that would be a attraction/attractor factor too.

3. Professor Bowyer seems to think that 3D printing will finally kill intellectual property, and he sounds pleased about it. Do you think he’s right about ending IP? Is this a good thing, a bad thing, or somewhere in-between?

With ideal 3D printers that can print with any material most devices could be created and that put a good dent in IP. Like software and plans for objects like say desks computers and the internet let things that at one point had controlled distribution something that most anyone can get easily without struggling. I would say that it's somewhere in between because if there is not monetary motivation an individual may not spend countless hours designing the best. There would still be good at least but everyone needs some money.

Blog Post 2

1.Do you think his goal of a ‘self-replicating universal constructor’ is feasible? What remains to be done to achieve this, or alternatively what would prevent such a goal?

A “self-replicating universal constructor’ in its complete sense is not feasible in my opinion. Printing circuit boards or growing substrate layers is a process that needs a very controlled environment and a home is not a place to create ICs. Printing metal although it would be very hard would I think be doable. The idea of having a pick a place machine is doable but the amount of equipment need and maintenance could be a large concern for the average user.

2. The phrase “wealth without money” is both the title of his article and the motto of the reprap project itself. What does this phrase mean? (To him and to you if they differ). Discuss implications, problems, and possibilities associated with this idea.

It means that you can have what you want without needing tons of money because you can just print it. It’s like fine artwork: the original might be hundreds of thousands of dollars but you can just print a replica on large paper for under a hundred. One problem the author discussed is that people will just print everything ever and that creates a lot of waste. The leads to the issues too that if something breaks you would just print a new one instead of trying to fix it.

3. The Darwin design was released in 2007. It is 2012 now. Imagine future scenarios for RepRaps and their ‘cousin’ 3D printing designs (Makerbots, Ultimachine, Makergear, etc.) how do you think the RepRap project (community, designs, website, anything and everything) might evolve in the future? Describe as many scenarios as you can envision. Due Sept. 13

There is the possibility of the project failing. I do not think this will happen because of the community following. It could also keep evolving at the rate it currently is and grow huge were in maybe 10 to 20 years people will have 3D printers like they have paper printing printers. It could also just stay as a scene project and grow only slightly. In last two I think there will definitely be improvement but the rate depends on demand.

Blog Post 1

1. useful: Toothpaste extractor (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:29335) Who doesn't want one of these? Just think about how much time humans have spent sliding mostly empty toothpaste containers against the edge of the counter.

2. artistic/beautiful: Julia Vase #004 - Bloom (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:28050) If you saw this in a store I would cost many dollars. It shows all those traditional vases what's up with it's awesome curves.

3. pointless/useless: Steak - (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:28675) It's a steak you can't eat... It also seems to me that there are better uses of plastic but maybe it's a good paperweight or ornamental dinner setting.

4. funny: Spine Candle Holder - (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:27560) SPINE CANDLE HOLDER! What kind of reaction do you think it would get? I personally laughed when I saw it.

5. weird: Chinese Throwing Spork - (hire-shuriken) (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:28638) I like the idea but no doubt it is weird. Throwing spork? Throwing stars are sharp and all but could a throwing spork really do that much damage? You would have to sharpen the prongs a lot.