University of Melbourne’s Engineering faculty hosted a “3D Showcase” this past weekend, which brought vendors and the public alike together, to explore what 3D printing has to offer.
I was fortunate enough to present a paper about 3d printing and Makerspaces within the public library system and aimed the presentation to inform the public about what is on offer to the public. This went incredibly well, and I was inundated with participants who wanted to know more about the Makerspace at the Dock and the 3d printing program we are running. Most people saw this for what it is, an incredible opportunity to learn about 3d printing and get hands-on exposure without having to invest in a costly 3D printer.
The 3D showcase had some really interesting developments on show, and it looks like 3D scanner technology is the next big development to be rolled out into the consumer market. Everywhere I looked I saw scanner rigs, scanner guns, and scanner probes. If you thought that only CAD modelers would have access to this technology, think again. This started me thinking. If it is this easy to scan an item, how will the copywriter laws be tested in the next few years…
One of the highlights of the Showcase was the 3D printed Dragstrip, where students could design their cars and dance them against other schools. It was a neat application and a lot of fun to watch.
Can’t wait until next year’s 3D Showcase.