Your appleification remark drew a smile, deeno. -g-
As far as DOS allegorical reference, I don't perceive that as a "fit." I go more this direction:
Just completed, a Kickstarter campaign referenced earlier in this thread by moi, drew an amazing "over subscription" result. Founders of TIKO, a delta, desktop, closed-system printer achived just shy of $3mil in KS funding, when seeking $100K for their TIKO concept. That is astonishing in my experience, and indicates the potential for affordable 3D printers.
TIKO printer is not vapor ware, but has actually been produced in a short run situation. It is undergoing extensive testing. It also has been displayed, in use, at various maker faires around the US since it was conceived, and executed. It is still under the "protective umbrella of post-grad student association with a reputable university, who is only too eager to ride on the coattails of this largess and monetize if for the sake of the university instead of the project itself. Many pratfalls in KS campaigns as it turns out.
TIKO's claim to fame is a price point of $179 (+S&H to be determined but capped @ $65)
While price point is attractive, and it is the closest SOUNDING plug 'n play user friendly unit on the market, let alone a delta printer, that's not the point of my response herein.
The point of my response is this:
For several years now, I've been keeping a hard drive folder called "ideas for 3d production". I doubt many curious parties have even gotten that far in their hopes/dreams phases. This illustrates my point that an earlier hurdle that must be overcome is the "what in the world would I ever build with one of these things if I even had one" hurdle.
Additionally, add to the challenge if one DOES come up with a product or an idea, is protecting it so that one can generate revenue from SMfgHMgr or SMHM business model. There are easier ways to make 15-18% flow-through to the bottom line in the manufacturing business model. To achieve those kind of OEM margins is considered somewhere in the early "amazing" category. It has to be sustained however, to sustain the mfg concern, mostly a start-up in nature itself.
At the moment, I've only been able to protect what I have conceived, and then vendor printed by jobbing my project out to multiple 3D hubs. Then, upon receipt of shipments, assembling all myself, so that no one 3D builder has all the puzzle pieces. That has not proven to be cost effective manufacturer due to the horrendous markup of the various Hubs' models, per jobbed out part. I want mfg "in house" to control COG.
Hard on the heels of the actual production challenge iterated above, is:
waste management,
recycling landfill prints into new filament equipment add-ons, and
all the current non-standardized resolution scanners out there.
The CAD-CAM engineering SW model is not friendly, nor intuitive. Scan and print is, but!!!!! The resolution is terrible for anything under $5K per. And, the copyright/trademark infringement issues are labrythian.
As my now departed Daddy would say, many rabbits in this (3D) thicket. |
