The first 3D printing photo gallery settled in Xi'an

According to Voice of China's "News and Verticals" report, chasing the frontier: Just like using a printer, tap the "Print" button on a computer screen. A 3D three-dimensional model looks like a paper document, and the picture is no longer two-dimensional. The picture turns into a three-dimensional statue. These may have previously only appeared in science fiction movies, and in 2013 3D printing has become a reality.

The nation’s first 3D printing photo gallery was near Xi'an Xi'an. Customers waited for two hours to get a mini version of “self”. In media coverage, aircraft, automobiles, and human organs all seem to be capable of 3D printing. What can 3D printing do in the end? Is it really omnipotent?

Although 3D printing technology was born as early as the 1980s, it seemed as if it had been a spring night. In April, "The Economist" magazine published the cover article "The Third Industrial Revolution", emphasizing the importance of 3D printing technology. Before and after this, many western mainstream media including Forbes and The New York Times successively advocated 3D printing on the front page. President Barack Obama proposed in March last year that he will invest $1 billion to establish 15 manufacturing innovation institutes. According to Guo Ge, the general manager of Beijing Tyrgyz Times Technology Co., Ltd., the emergence of low-cost 3D printers has given ordinary people more access to this technology.

Guo Ge: Close to the consumer, so the degree of attention in the media will increase.

People usually refer to 3D printing, which refers to the principle of traditional printers. The designer designs a good model in the computer, and then uses the layered printing process to print the required items. Traditional printers contain toner, and 3D printers use a variety of raw materials to select materials based on what they print.

Nanjing Lijin Lide Gao Jin engineer Lin Ning: Designers design what you need in the computer, no longer need to use the current machine tools, or use other methods of modern processing, as long as you can directly through the printer What you need to produce is manufactured. For personalized production, production of small batches and varieties, this technology is very suitable.

The 3D printing technology was used in the industrial design field in the early years. However, in recent years, this technology has inadvertently entered people's lives. For example, in dentistry, dentures, invisible orthodontic materials, and even dental implants can be used for 3D printing.

Professor Jianping Jian from Nanjing University of Technology: 3D technology can be applied to implanting surgical guides to help grow doctors to accurately implant teeth and guide us in the best position in computer simulations.

It sounds like 3D printing seems omnipotent. Will this new technology really change our lives right away? The data shows that this is not the case. According to the annual report of the American Consumer Electronics Association, the market size of global 3D printing in 2011 was 1.7 billion U.S. dollars, which is still estimated to be less than 2 billion U.S. dollars in 2012, and is expected to continue to grow in the automotive, aerospace, and healthcare markets. The market size after five years is only 5 billion US dollars.

It should be noted that in 2011, the size of the Chinese clothing button market had reached RMB 13 billion. In 2012, the size of the screw machinery market in the UK was 800 million Euros. Even if compared with these “soily and old” small parts manufacturing industries, the 3D printing industry with a history of more than 20 years still develops slowly. In Guo Ge’s opinion, 3D printing technology will not change the lives of ordinary people within 3 to 5 years, but after 10 or even decades, 3D printers are expected to enter the homes of ordinary people, and the personalized demand will be support. The power of industry development.

Guo Ge: The traditional production should be that you design it well, make it from the factory, and then look for distributors to sell it to the distributors to do promotion and sales. With the development of technology, it is possible that it will be directly from the designer. To the consumer side, consumers can directly download or purchase this model, and then print it out on their own 3D printer and use it directly.

On the Internet, some 3D printers whose prices are within 10,000 yuan have also started to sell. A larger seller Taobao seller told reporters that the company sold more than 700 units last year, the purchase group is mainly personal fans and schools. Guo Ge believes that the low-cost 3D printer has limited functionality and poor accuracy, making it difficult to use in industrial production. However, many people are still willing to buy and explore 3D printing products. This may bring a series of commercial imaginations. Taking into account the current difficulties faced by traditional manufacturing industries in China, it is difficult to ensure that 3D printers are in the hands of enthusiasts and business owners. Will not play any new tricks.