Subnostr

The challenges are primarially with CAD modeling and compatibility. The culture now is to share an STL file, which is fine as long as you don't want anyone to be able to easily make changes. If people start sharing the original files in addition to the exported .stl files, we'd be in a much better place without any advances in software or hardware!

The other lack of sharing is with the printer settings. Maybe a part should be printed with 0% infill, or 100% or some number in between for a specific model. Or perhaps dupports are needed, should be omitted, or are only needed in certain pages.

None of this information is contained in the STL files nor the original model formats. These are printer settings. Unfortunately each slicer has its own format. So while people can share CURA settings, it won't help people using the Prussa slicer. Having a standard that can be easily imported would go a long way to simplifying printing and allowing easier collaboration.

If using the same slicing software as the creator, and if the creator shares the exported settings, this doesn't require any further advances in technology either. It's just a matter of culture. However, technical changes could make it easier for people.

The real problem is modeling. There are many options for CAD modeling software, but they all have a learning curve. It's difficult for most people to accurately describe a 3D object. We are used to dealing with humans where they usually know what we meant even if it's not what we said.

Dr. Hax 2y ago

Having said that, if people were willing to hire a CAD modeler to make a part for them, it could potentially work around this issue. The problem is it can be difficult to get the tolerances just right on the first attempt. So unless the modeler has the exact make and model of thr thing the part is going to fit into (dishwasher, vacuum, or whatever), it's unlikely to work out well for anyone. Changing THAT would require major changes in the way things are made and, honestly, probably the entire way our #economy functions.

We would want open designs and published CAD models for entire products. This would allow anyone to manufacture the open product. Right now, the only way the product designer is going to be able to get paid is by intellectual property laws. Nobody can legally manufacture the product without paying a royalty. But the law isn't enough, which is why the licensed models are not released.

If someone devised a mechanism for designers to get paid for their work, or some other mechanism to ensure designers have what they need to do this work (food, water, shelter, electricity, internet, etc.), it would truely change the world.

Open designs would take over. Consumers would prefer them because they can have the product made by a manufacturer of their choice. Maybe it's their makerspace, a library, a machine shop, or their own home. They could hire a designer to make add-ons for things they already own. Not being able to get replacement parts, or being price gouged for them, would be a thing of the past.

The fight for the right to repair would be won forever.

Consumers could decide how durable of matetials things should be made from.

This could be achieved by a sufficient Universal Basic Income, a market incentive to design open parts, or just some rich person who decided that they were going to pay people to initially do this work and once everyone is hooked on open products, they can cut off the funding. Once the demand is there, designers can croudsource things they want to make and publish to the world. Consumers could offer bounties on things they want. It would be a far greater revolution than anyone promoting 3D printing has suggested. That's because it would not be a revolution of 3D printing, it'd be a revolution of manufacturing.

#3DPrinting #Manufacturing #Capitalism #AntiCapitalism #OpenSource #OpenDesign

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Discussion

Dr. Hax 2y ago

Here's a plan to revolutionize manufacturing worldwide.

Read it, in context, and tell me why you think it wouldn't work. Better yet, try it and SHOW ME that it won't work!

Or... help put it to the test and potentially make it a reality. Creators can license their work however they like and creative commons looks pretty good for this. Even with a handful of designers, making just enough to get by, they curate their own designs along with that of fellow designers who are willing to publish work they have already done.

I'd be willing to bet that with 20 BTC, we could give this an honest try. That'd be a year of ~8 people (@ 2BTC/year), several of which would need to be people who are good at getting the word out plus another 4 BTC for direct costs such as paying for ads, lawyers, perhaps buying existing models from creators and whatever else might come up. Even 10 BTC would get 6 months worth of data, though it's harder to ask someone to quit their job for a 6 month gig.

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Jeremiah Baker 2y ago

Thank you very much for your thoughtful responses. Plastic is where 3D Printing really excels. Metals are definitely the harder nut to crack.

Cheers!