| Star Trek, a landmark science fiction show, is | | | | machines a bit too expensive for ordinary consumers |
| considered to be one of the best shows of its genre | | | | to have, but we can all see the direction that this 3D |
| ever aired on television. That is a fact that both fans | | | | technology is taking. |
| and non-fans agree upon. It is not just the idea of | | | | Creating Anything with a Homemade 3D Printer |
| humankind traveling to the outer regions of space | | | | What is even more exciting, however, is the fact |
| that fascinated the viewers of Star Trek; there are | | | | that there are non-profit groups out there that have |
| just too many marvels that this television show | | | | put up websites where anyone can download |
| allowed us to visualize for our future. | | | | schematics of how to make their own homemade |
| But since life tends to imitate art, there is one Star | | | | 3D printers as well as instructions on how to create |
| Trek "invention" that is slowly becoming reality for a | | | | anything. With a couple thousand dollars – still |
| number of geeks and techies across the world. That | | | | expensive for some – you can buy parts and |
| is none other than the replicating machine. This | | | | build your printer from scratch. |
| replicator allows anyone to create almost anything | | | | How does it work? It depends on the technology |
| using the materials of his or her own choosing. The | | | | that the printer uses. Inkjet technology is the one |
| word "replicator" may seem too vague or | | | | most popularly used with 3D printers these days. In |
| out-of-this-world for the layman, but a more familiar | | | | such machines, inkjet printer heads spray resin or |
| term for that would be the 3D printer. | | | | powder on a platform layer by layer until the object |
| From Engineering Labs to the Home | | | | is created. Adhesive is also sprayed on these layers |
| These 3D printers used to be exclusive to | | | | to make sure that the resin binds together. The |
| engineering and mechanics laboratories. This is not | | | | object can take on any shape that you want it to |
| surprising, given that 3D printers used to be unwieldy | | | | have based on the images you have fed to the |
| and complicated to use, not to mention horribly | | | | software that controls the printer. |
| expensive. Even today, many engineering firms do | | | | Fact or Science Fiction? |
| not have their own 3D printing machines because the | | | | It is entirely up to you to believe that you can make |
| cost can be prohibitive. | | | | a 3D printer of your own in your garage or workshop |
| But even that will change soon. Developments in | | | | at home. More and more people are doing this every |
| technology have greatly pulled down the price of 3D | | | | day. One such website where you can download |
| printers. Lower-end models sold by commercial | | | | plans for building your own 3D printer is |
| companies that manufacture these machines now go | | | | fabathome.org, where you can also download 3D |
| for around $15,000. This price tag still makes these | | | | building projects that you can create at home. |