With the new year underway, it’s only natural to wonder not only what new innovations are in store for us, but which technologies introduced over the last year or so will really take off and come into the mainstream. If the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show is any indication, it looks like this may be the year that 3D computing rises in prominence.
2015 is shaping up to be the year of 3D dominance
This year’s CES saw the increased visibility of 3D computing, particularly in the field of 3D printing. This should come as no surprise, since the stars seem to finally be aligned just right for a big 3D breakthrough this year. As the article “New Dawn For 3D Computing” says, “More sophisticated scanning hardware, easier manipulation of captured data, and shrinking costs all contribute to a bright forecast for the technology.” Here are three reasons why the prognosis looks so good:
Lower Prices for 3D Computing
First of all, let’s go for the obvious one. It’s no big secret that the longer a new technology is around and the more common it becomes, the lower the prices get, as a rule. For instance, those nifty little laser pointers that you can get on a key ring that you can pick up at any gas station for a few bucks used to cost several hundred dollars and sold at Sharper Image years earlier. Handheld 3D scanners that sold for almost $40,000 around ten years ago can now be bought for $5,000. And the punchline to that little fact is that the $5,000 scanner does the job quicker!
Lower prices put 3D tech into easy reach of more companies and consumers. This in turn results in even lower prices, which means even more people can afford it, and so on.
Hardware Advances
As touched upon in the previous section, there have been advances made in the hardware, particularly in terms of scanners. Scanners have enjoyed leaps in speed and accuracy, making the hardware a more attractive choice for potential buyers.
Not to be outdone, 3D printers have been experiencing similar increases in sophistication, accuracy, and efficiency. A simple Google search for “3D printer advances” yields a plethora of stories of how 3D print innovations are making it possible to create stronger yet lighter metal parts, aortic grafts for aneurysm treatments, and even graphene batteries.
Software Developments
Although increasingly sophisticated 3D hardware is a good thing, it’s useless without the appropriate software, particularly in the area of manipulating captured data. Fortunately, the software side of 3D computing is showing itself as capable of matching hardware’s increasing tech advances.
3D data is complex, and it requires software that can take that scanned data and convert it into something usable by CAD. Fortunately, there are a number of different products out there that have made great strides in data conversion.
It’s A 3D Future
What can we take away from all this? Only that 3D computing is showing itself to be an indispensable part of life, making an impact in a huge variety of industries and all walks of life, with more professionals relying on it to get things done. Increased sophistication, better versatility, and lower prices will bring this fascinating and useful technology to more people and businesses this year.
For some extra insights into 3D computing, check out “Lose a Part? Need a Model? Use a 3D Printer”.