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3D Printing: The Next Technology Gold Rush
This book concentrates on three main areas.
1. Easy to read, yet detailed explanations of all the 3D printing related technologies currently available
2. Practical advice on how this technology can be leveraged as a successful business in today's economy.
3. The wider long-term repercussions, including real world examples of how 3D printing is set to change the future of industry.
Part 1 of this book presents the various 3D printing systems currently on the market, covering their background, their functionality and their relative pros and cons. Separate chapters offer similarly in-depth examinations of the very latest scanning technologies, 3D modelling software and 3D file archives. Complex technical processes are explained in detail, but using language accessible to readers who are new to this fascinating subject.
Part 2 focuses specifically on areas in which a 3D printer can be used to generate income. It examines a wide range of niche markets presenting real world examples and current success stories. In addition, it identifies and explores many unfilled niches that are still wide open. The author talks extensively about his own projects and analyses large amounts of very well researched information that is unavailable elsewhere.
Part 3 looks at the bigger picture. Individual chapters concentrate upon emerging materials, how the industry is scaling up production, and where the battle lines are being drawn amongst the complex legal issues. Readers are introduced to the highly disruptive nature of distributed manufacturing, demonstrating many of the global impacts and developments that will transform entire economies in the next ten years.
Far from being a dry technical manual, this book addresses three key issues that are important to anybody interested in this rapidly evolving field. What are 3D printers all about? How can they be used to make money? What does the immediate future hold for this amazing technology? Humorous, insightful and inspiring in equal measure, and yet priced at a small fraction of its competitors.
1. Easy to read, yet detailed explanations of all the 3D printing related technologies currently available
2. Practical advice on how this technology can be leveraged as a successful business in today's economy.
3. The wider long-term repercussions, including real world examples of how 3D printing is set to change the future of industry.
Part 1 of this book presents the various 3D printing systems currently on the market, covering their background, their functionality and their relative pros and cons. Separate chapters offer similarly in-depth examinations of the very latest scanning technologies, 3D modelling software and 3D file archives. Complex technical processes are explained in detail, but using language accessible to readers who are new to this fascinating subject.
Part 2 focuses specifically on areas in which a 3D printer can be used to generate income. It examines a wide range of niche markets presenting real world examples and current success stories. In addition, it identifies and explores many unfilled niches that are still wide open. The author talks extensively about his own projects and analyses large amounts of very well researched information that is unavailable elsewhere.
Part 3 looks at the bigger picture. Individual chapters concentrate upon emerging materials, how the industry is scaling up production, and where the battle lines are being drawn amongst the complex legal issues. Readers are introduced to the highly disruptive nature of distributed manufacturing, demonstrating many of the global impacts and developments that will transform entire economies in the next ten years.
Far from being a dry technical manual, this book addresses three key issues that are important to anybody interested in this rapidly evolving field. What are 3D printers all about? How can they be used to make money? What does the immediate future hold for this amazing technology? Humorous, insightful and inspiring in equal measure, and yet priced at a small fraction of its competitors.
- GenresTechnologyBusiness
314 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 14, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 24, 2013
A few months ago, after reading a newspaper article about 3D printing, I placed a book about 3D printing on my to-read list. The author of this book noticed it, I suppose, and asked if I’d be interested in a copy of his book in exchange for a review. I agreed.
Glad I did!
Before I review the book, a few words about my interest in 3D printing. First, I majored in Comparative Literature as an undergraduate. Since then, I’ve often wished I majored in engineering. Life and earning a living (blah, blah, blah) have prevented me from making up for that - I just haven’t gotten around to being a tinkerer, even as a hobby, though becoming one is a dream of mine. My grandfathers were both tinkerers. So was my grandmother actually. Tinkering seems like such a good idea, even if mass production and economies of scale have largely rendered it obsolete. I had relatives who succeeded in manufacturing despite not having college degrees, though those days are long gone, right?
Maybe not. That’s what interests me about 3D printing. Is it a chance for me to mess around not only as a designer but as a maker of things? Is it also a chance for me to redeem myself as a technology visionary? I mean, back in the early 80s when my high school had a few weird computers that people programmed FORTRAN or something on, I had no interest. Zero. What the hell did those things have to do with me and my interests? I’m not the only one who missed the boat, but it has amazed me since then to see how wrong I was, how much computers have revolutionized and changed things that interested me when I was young, such as reading, writing, publishing, and art.
So for me, 3D printing brings together a few things. I don’t really expect to drop everything (or anything probably) and try to jump on board some gold rush, but I am interested. And I do believe that 3D printing offers tinkerers a lot of opportunities for fun and profit and who knows what else. It does seem possible that 3D printing has the potential to be a transformative, disruptive technology, like computers. If my grandfather was alive, I can see him having one and tinkering like hell. Recent news articles about Edward J. Snowden and his betrayal of the government mention his lack of education/credentials and his excellent pay package. He was a tinkerer; the money came later. If you put in the hours, hard work can pay off even if you are not on the cuff of the transformation like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, but it probably won’t if you lack passion. Someone probably will make a mint from 3D printing, but they probably won’t just be chasing money, like lawyers allegedly chase ambulances, they’ll probably be smart tinkerers, interested in design, content, and business.
Lawd! Enough about me. Onto the book:
I am a neophyte and loved the detail. Depending on your level of expertise, I suppose some of it may not be necessary, but I’d be very surprised if there isn’t a lot of useful information, no matter how knowledgeable you already are. If nothing else, the author has assembled a comprehensive starting point from which you can navigate to ever more information. Investigating the links and suggested resources will take me years. Most important is the range: Winnan covers everything from technical details, to product ideas, to the big, big picture, 3D printing and the future. I am sure this book will be useful even as my experience and skills grow. I will be able to return to it and have a richer understanding of some passages. Using this book as a resource, I am sure, will save time and cut down on false starts and dead ends.
The book is divided into four parts. Part 1, called A Technology Primer, introduces the reader to the world of 3D printing: 3D printing technology, scanning technology, modeling technology, and so on. Some of you may end up skimming parts of it, some like me, may not. It describes, explains, and lists a lot of sites and a lot of activity, such as Thingiverse.com, where designers post printable files of their work. This section is full of an awful lot of information, including speculation that CAD software is bound to get simpler to use, just as graphic design software has. Among other things, the author suggests getting familiar with SolidWorks so that you can evaluate the quality of files, and suggests tutorials for doing so. Are you familiar with Tinkercad, Sketch up, and Kinect? What about 3D printer forums on Kickerstarter? There is so much more, including comments about places on the internet that link designers, manufacturers and customers. You can even get started if you don’t have a printer. 3D printer services, such as Shapeways and Sculpteo, already exist.
Part 2 is called financial implications and opportunities. I remember a newly minted MBA telling me that he now thinks differently, that he is better able to spot opportunities and consider possibilities. As he spoke, I had my doubts and thought his boast could probably be turned into a Dilbert cartoon. However, Winnan, the author of this book, is a mind on fire, and he proves it in this section. Maybe, just maybe, I’m beginning to think like a newly minted MBA. When the barber was cutting my hair the other day, I was wondering if the shaving machine attachments might be interesting products for a 3D printer. Final products, not just prototypes, are the goal. Winnan also emphasizes that 3D printers will not be trying to compete with mass production and economies of scale. Think small runs, quick turn around, custom fabrication, high end. He shares lots of ideas for products. Lots. If I listed some of his categories here, it would actually be deceptive, because you would think you get it, but the most instructive thing about it is seeing how he mines the Internet for data and inspiration. One example: I remember my mother visiting a friend’s neighbor. This person was into doll houses and furniture. When Winnan brought up doll house furniture as a 3D printing product, I remembered my mother’s story and knew Winnan was right. There are many other niche communities besides doll house aficionados that large manufacturers are not fully satisfying.
Part 3 is called Storm Clouds on the Horizon. Here Winnan addresses the big picture in various ways. It’s interesting, especially if you are an ambitious tinkerer of one kind or another. He addresses naysayers if you’re worried about them. He offers up historical analogies that may convince you that 3D printing could be an extremely transformative technology. Even if he’s wrong, I think a lot of people will have a lot of fun with this stuff. I liked the part about large scale printing: buildings! I did not know it already exists. I also liked the part about printing materials, not just plastic, but recycled plastic from the sea, sawdust, metal alloys, human ashes, ceramics, and more. If you want to use a 3D printer to better the world, read what he has to say about 3D printing in the Third World and about the disruptive power of 3D printers.
Part 4 is appendices where he shares and comments about his sources, etc.
In conclusion, good book. Informed, detailed, thoughtful. You may not strike it rich, but you may, especially if you are technically orientated and creative. If you aren’t, you could still have a lot of fun.
Glad I did!
Before I review the book, a few words about my interest in 3D printing. First, I majored in Comparative Literature as an undergraduate. Since then, I’ve often wished I majored in engineering. Life and earning a living (blah, blah, blah) have prevented me from making up for that - I just haven’t gotten around to being a tinkerer, even as a hobby, though becoming one is a dream of mine. My grandfathers were both tinkerers. So was my grandmother actually. Tinkering seems like such a good idea, even if mass production and economies of scale have largely rendered it obsolete. I had relatives who succeeded in manufacturing despite not having college degrees, though those days are long gone, right?
Maybe not. That’s what interests me about 3D printing. Is it a chance for me to mess around not only as a designer but as a maker of things? Is it also a chance for me to redeem myself as a technology visionary? I mean, back in the early 80s when my high school had a few weird computers that people programmed FORTRAN or something on, I had no interest. Zero. What the hell did those things have to do with me and my interests? I’m not the only one who missed the boat, but it has amazed me since then to see how wrong I was, how much computers have revolutionized and changed things that interested me when I was young, such as reading, writing, publishing, and art.
So for me, 3D printing brings together a few things. I don’t really expect to drop everything (or anything probably) and try to jump on board some gold rush, but I am interested. And I do believe that 3D printing offers tinkerers a lot of opportunities for fun and profit and who knows what else. It does seem possible that 3D printing has the potential to be a transformative, disruptive technology, like computers. If my grandfather was alive, I can see him having one and tinkering like hell. Recent news articles about Edward J. Snowden and his betrayal of the government mention his lack of education/credentials and his excellent pay package. He was a tinkerer; the money came later. If you put in the hours, hard work can pay off even if you are not on the cuff of the transformation like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, but it probably won’t if you lack passion. Someone probably will make a mint from 3D printing, but they probably won’t just be chasing money, like lawyers allegedly chase ambulances, they’ll probably be smart tinkerers, interested in design, content, and business.
Lawd! Enough about me. Onto the book:
I am a neophyte and loved the detail. Depending on your level of expertise, I suppose some of it may not be necessary, but I’d be very surprised if there isn’t a lot of useful information, no matter how knowledgeable you already are. If nothing else, the author has assembled a comprehensive starting point from which you can navigate to ever more information. Investigating the links and suggested resources will take me years. Most important is the range: Winnan covers everything from technical details, to product ideas, to the big, big picture, 3D printing and the future. I am sure this book will be useful even as my experience and skills grow. I will be able to return to it and have a richer understanding of some passages. Using this book as a resource, I am sure, will save time and cut down on false starts and dead ends.
The book is divided into four parts. Part 1, called A Technology Primer, introduces the reader to the world of 3D printing: 3D printing technology, scanning technology, modeling technology, and so on. Some of you may end up skimming parts of it, some like me, may not. It describes, explains, and lists a lot of sites and a lot of activity, such as Thingiverse.com, where designers post printable files of their work. This section is full of an awful lot of information, including speculation that CAD software is bound to get simpler to use, just as graphic design software has. Among other things, the author suggests getting familiar with SolidWorks so that you can evaluate the quality of files, and suggests tutorials for doing so. Are you familiar with Tinkercad, Sketch up, and Kinect? What about 3D printer forums on Kickerstarter? There is so much more, including comments about places on the internet that link designers, manufacturers and customers. You can even get started if you don’t have a printer. 3D printer services, such as Shapeways and Sculpteo, already exist.
Part 2 is called financial implications and opportunities. I remember a newly minted MBA telling me that he now thinks differently, that he is better able to spot opportunities and consider possibilities. As he spoke, I had my doubts and thought his boast could probably be turned into a Dilbert cartoon. However, Winnan, the author of this book, is a mind on fire, and he proves it in this section. Maybe, just maybe, I’m beginning to think like a newly minted MBA. When the barber was cutting my hair the other day, I was wondering if the shaving machine attachments might be interesting products for a 3D printer. Final products, not just prototypes, are the goal. Winnan also emphasizes that 3D printers will not be trying to compete with mass production and economies of scale. Think small runs, quick turn around, custom fabrication, high end. He shares lots of ideas for products. Lots. If I listed some of his categories here, it would actually be deceptive, because you would think you get it, but the most instructive thing about it is seeing how he mines the Internet for data and inspiration. One example: I remember my mother visiting a friend’s neighbor. This person was into doll houses and furniture. When Winnan brought up doll house furniture as a 3D printing product, I remembered my mother’s story and knew Winnan was right. There are many other niche communities besides doll house aficionados that large manufacturers are not fully satisfying.
Part 3 is called Storm Clouds on the Horizon. Here Winnan addresses the big picture in various ways. It’s interesting, especially if you are an ambitious tinkerer of one kind or another. He addresses naysayers if you’re worried about them. He offers up historical analogies that may convince you that 3D printing could be an extremely transformative technology. Even if he’s wrong, I think a lot of people will have a lot of fun with this stuff. I liked the part about large scale printing: buildings! I did not know it already exists. I also liked the part about printing materials, not just plastic, but recycled plastic from the sea, sawdust, metal alloys, human ashes, ceramics, and more. If you want to use a 3D printer to better the world, read what he has to say about 3D printing in the Third World and about the disruptive power of 3D printers.
Part 4 is appendices where he shares and comments about his sources, etc.
In conclusion, good book. Informed, detailed, thoughtful. You may not strike it rich, but you may, especially if you are technically orientated and creative. If you aren’t, you could still have a lot of fun.
May 7, 2013
Are you curious about 3D printing? Would you like to know if the technology is relevant and how it may be monetized? Are you familiar with the technology but would like an assessment of where the technology is headed? If so, then 3D Printing: The Next Technology Gold Rush is for you.
Prior to reading this book I had a sense of the technology, mainly through such publications as Wired. After reading this book I now feel that I have a comprehensive grasp on the roots of the technology, present capabilities (to include 3D Printing models and relevant forums), how I may potentially apply and monetize the technology as an entrepreneur, and where 3D printing is headed.
The author brings a wealth of experience to the subject matter to include manufacturing, foreign sourcing, and is well traveled which is apparent in the insights he brings to the subject matter. Overall this an excellent read for someone desiring a snapshot of the state of the art.
Prior to reading this book I had a sense of the technology, mainly through such publications as Wired. After reading this book I now feel that I have a comprehensive grasp on the roots of the technology, present capabilities (to include 3D Printing models and relevant forums), how I may potentially apply and monetize the technology as an entrepreneur, and where 3D printing is headed.
The author brings a wealth of experience to the subject matter to include manufacturing, foreign sourcing, and is well traveled which is apparent in the insights he brings to the subject matter. Overall this an excellent read for someone desiring a snapshot of the state of the art.
April 4, 2015
This book rekindled my passion for engineering. I'm amazed how much 3d printers have evolved in the last years. Sure, it may take decades before tissues could be printed with them, but in terms of democratizing creation, they're the best technology we have available.
I especially enjoyed the idea of 3d scanning from multiple photos , a strategy that decreases the necessary skills to create a 3d model. I admit the price of such software and the hardware specifications necessary to run it were key deterrents for me in embracing this technology despite having an engineering background.
Not anymore. Times change. 3d models abound.
I especially enjoyed the idea of 3d scanning from multiple photos , a strategy that decreases the necessary skills to create a 3d model. I admit the price of such software and the hardware specifications necessary to run it were key deterrents for me in embracing this technology despite having an engineering background.
Not anymore. Times change. 3d models abound.
February 22, 2015
There are some good nuggets in this book, but the signal to noise ratio is pretty poor. Most of the time, it feels like the author is just writing to fill space. He has done a fair bit of research, and the first sections of the book give an interesting panorama, but the book goes downhill from there.
Want to Read
November 20, 2015I think it's good book
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews