It’s a lot more than just a showroom for 3D Systems’ huge range of 3D printers; 3D Systems corporation have opened a new innovation center at their headquarters to showcase 3D printing as a whole with the focus not on what any of their specific machines can do but on what 3D printing can achieve and just how disruptive this technology will be to a wide range of different applications.
The impact of 3D printers is clearly going to be far reaching and will continue to find new uses and new business models to totally up-end or even start from scratch.
As now many thousands of businesses exist only because the Internet exists soon maybe as many will exist because 3D printers and related technologies exist, with even more companies changing how they work because of 3D printing.
For this to become a reality though it is important more people understand 3D printing technology and see what 3D printers can do. This isn’t just the CAD designers and other experts who will operate 3D printers but the business decision makers who will make the decisions about whether to bring 3D printers into their own businesses.
Part of what will be done from the Rock Hill, South Carolina based innovation center is to hold ideation sessions to bring together business owners, experts and consumers to see and discuss what 3D printing can do. In many cases it will be 3D Systems’ Cube printers that will be the first taste of 3D printing that visitors get.
The Cube is designed to be a cheap entry level 3D printer that consumers with a little money to spend can even buy and have at home: this could be as a home business idea, for fun and hobby projects and also as a learning tool: both for children and adults wanting to improve design and CAD skills. The Cube, being easy to use, is what visitors will be shown to allow them to actually work with a 3D printer themselves on a visit and see how easy it can be.
Abe Reichental, president and CEO of 3D systems, was excited about the prospect at the center’s launch saying “It’s a real privilege to share our disruptive, affordable and impactful solutions with all who seek to benefit from the emergence of a personal manufacturing revolution,”
By Personal manufacturing revolution Mr Reichental means the revolution that 3D systems and others expect as 3D printers become prevalent in people’s homes but also in local 3D print shops. The result of course will be that people can print designs they have either found or bought, mainly online, and then print items at home. Important to this though will be the fact that people can design their own products at home as well and anyone can become a designer selling either designs to other 3D printer owners or selling the products they have printed.
The Rock Hill center is now of course the go to place for anyone looking to invest in 3D printers to go to to find out more. 3D Systems with their massive range of 3D printers, under several brand names, will certainly gain plenty of benefit from the innovation center but visitors will too.