Dear Daniel Anderson,
Your letter is full of interesting questions and insights. Some of these
questions and the research projects to support this have been laid out. I am
new to RP technologies but can think of tons of things they don't have now
that I would like to see.
Marshall Burns' book "Automated Fabrication" talks eloquently in some detail
about the impact of RP on culture and society. Some of these ideas are
radical and are but just a thought. It will take some time to implement
these. I have heard engineers say that rapid prototyping is not really very
important. HA!!
You as a long time pioneer in the field perhaps you are bored and seek the
thrill of the new. For myself as a sculptor and product designer, I finally
have a tool at reasonable cost with which to design test and employ concepts
that were here-to-for only a dream.
Refinements? Refinements!! Ability to build parts molecularly, ability to
build form fit and function parts, new and more materials. COLOR COLOR COLOR,
TEXTURE TEXTURE TEXTURE, Popular culture implementations, etc.,.
I can only wait for the day, with great anticipation when as a user, I have
an inexpensive quality, color, 3d printer on my desktop, which could produce
models in a day, that have mainly form and fit embodiments, with some
potential for use.
For other new developments in this technology, search the web. There are
several research facilities with new approaches and ideas. Solid Free Form
Fabrication is one. I've heard rumor of a multi processed rockwell
international machine that can add and subtract engine blocks. etc.,.!!!
Researchers will send you new papers. Check out the European Conferences on
Rapid Prototyping. Maybe you've done all this.
We are limited only by our imagination. I am limited only by my budget.
Best,
Michael Rees
sculptor
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