CES 2014, the 4-day technology extravaganza attended by tens of thousands of people, marks the coming of 3D printers. And in a big way, thanks to the organizers of the show who have dedicated a good amount of real estate for 3D printer makers to display their wares.
This year, 28 exhibitors have occupied the 7,000 square feet space devoted to the 3D printing industry. Commercial and consumer printers that can potentially turn individuals and small businesses to manufacturers of innovative products are on display.
"It puts the power to make an object or manufacture an object in anyone's hands. You no longer need to go to a factory," said 3Doodler co-founder Daniel Cowen in an interview. 3Doodler is a 3D printer pen that will allow anyone to draw and pick up what they sketch.
XYZprinting showcased its personal 3D printer dubbed as da Vinci that will be sold for $499 when it comes out this year. The company describes the product to be a perfect fit for households that might need to print out ordinary objects like a spoon or a cup.
There are also the big names in the young industry such as Makerbot and 3D Systems.
Makerbot, one of the leaders in 3D printing, showcased new products at the tech expo. It exhibited three new hardware for its Replicator line. It will roll out a Replicator Mini this spring that will have a friendlier tag price for consumers.
Meanwhile, the maker of the Cubify line of printers, 3D Systems, unwrapped the high resolution 3D printer CubePro that can print in three colors. The new machine can print in ultra-fine specs as thin as 75 microns. It is due to be out Q2 of 2014 with the price yet to be announced.
It also unveiled the ChefJet Pro that can print edible candies and chocolates. The company promises to expand its recipes for the confectionery enthusiasts. The ChefJet Pro is set to come out later this year.
These 3D printers come with their own user-friendly software that will allow people without the technical or design know how to create objects. They can also work in tandem with 3D scanners that will essentially allow would-be manufacturers to point and print things.
With 3D printers conquering the tabletops, labor cost will drop as suppliers of goods do not have to be across the globe but just right in the neighborhood.
"Now, the historical rules hardened by a century of experience are being overturned by three emerging technologies: 3D printing, intelligent robotics and open source electronics. Together, they are creating a manufacturing environment that can be defined and executed through managing software and data files - a transformation we describe as moving from a hardware-based supply chain to one that is 'software-defined,'" an IBM study read.
One can't help but wonder if soon there will be 3D printers that can print out 3D printers. Now, that would be something.
