3D Printing - Does That Means I Can Make Mutiple Pieces of of my TS in Future (1 Viewer)

[ostrein]

Surprised nobody commented upon if their 3D wishes came true then traditional TS companies and their dealers ({sm2}) might find it no longer commercially viable to continue.

Especially for the TS companies the 3D printers will become important – to create masters.
No longer they have to create a mold master by scratch building a tank/vehicle. With a 3D printer they only have to get hold of the blueprints, create the CAD drawings and have the parts (mold masters) printed in the desired scale.

I think we have to wait some(!!!) time to see 3D printers capable to print (and color) 1/30 scale ToySoldiers.


Oliver

 

[Martin Tabony]

I believe 3D printing used to be called "fast prototyping" and is just another way of making a master pattern. This is then moulded, cast etc. in the same old way.
As Mitch mentioned medical use. I remember about ten years ago when a hospital in Newcastle worked with Nissan to produce a "mask" that would hold all of the pieces of bone together for a man who had been in a serious car crash, and had recieved serious facial injuries.
Even if the technology was around to produce photo copied figures, I still think there would be a market for traditionaly made figures. In the same way that we could all be sitting on plastic chairs and eating with plastic utensils, but there is still something about hand crafted furniture and silver cutlery!

Martin

 

[Mitch]

I think there will be a market for the traditional made pieces but, with such innovation available the market will shrink even further. Look around at how few traditional craftsmen in wood and silver there are compared to a relatively short period

Not sure the cost of the jaw bone I was mentioning was but, I can't see why if desired a Toy soldier could not be built to the current standard (if not better) from the technology now available. Initial machines will be expensive just like DVD's and players and mobile phones were (the money has to be initially clawed back) but, look at the speed these have fallen to very cheap prices. You can buy a state of the art I phone for less than a AFV in this hobby

I would think lots of people will be looking at this technology with dread as it will further reduce many outlets in a similar or bigger way like internet shopping has and is doing.
Mitch

 

[marco55]

People might be able to make them but will they be able to paint them or can you program that in also?
Markl

 

[Phantom Warrior]

People might be able to make them but will they be able to paint them or can you program that in also?
Markl

Colouring the figures is very limited and shadows/weathering is not possible yet.

Terry

 

[TomB]

Certainly will be interesting to see how quickly 3D printing can make metal painted figures.

I would guess unpainted plastic figures and metal kits will be first (if not already done).

Are some expecting such machines will be able to replicate TS styles such as FL, K&C, CS etc or expecting mini clones of the real thing.

Surprised nobody commented upon if their 3D wishes came true then traditional TS companies and their dealers ({sm2}) might find it no longer commercially viable to continue. Just think instead of praising the work of a sculptor or meeting a TS maker at a show you would be able to go to a computer show and chat with a computer programmer who could replicate their previous work. Probably will be from a division of Google or Microsoft.

As with printers now you wonder how much the "inkgredients" might cost.

Raises the interesting point about what affect it would have on existing collections. Would they be devalued as the new 3D stuff becomes more available or would values increase as TS companies go out of business.

Not sure it is going to come quick enough to affect my business so wont be losing any sleep over it. Roll on the days when robots put everybody out of a job.

Brett

Brett I think your biggest threat is the rising cost of TS......and on reflection I remember how long it has taken to get the average PC to a stage where they are reliable and stop freezing up every 5 seconds etc....For the average Joe... a reliable...affordable...3D printer that can...scan...do it's own program and then produce a perfect figure is a long way off, but that is just a layman's opinion.......K&C and the other mob's would have a counter attack to 3D printers...they wont fold...in fact it may lead to a cheaper range of TS and a new market......who knows ?...cheers TomB

 

[The Military Workshop]

Brett I think your biggest threat is the rising cost of TS......and on reflection I remember how long it has taken to get the average PC to a stage where they are reliable and stop freezing up every 5 seconds etc....For the average Joe... a reliable...affordable...3D printer that can...scan...do it's own program and then produce a perfect figure is a long way off, but that is just a layman's opinion.......K&C and the other mob's would have a counter attack to 3D printers...they wont fold...in fact it may lead to a cheaper range of TS and a new market......who knows ?...cheers TomB

Tom,
As long as I have been on this forum people have been commenting about the increasing prices of
TS's and nothing will change. Would comment further but there have been plenty of discussions about
price as it is and after a while it gets a bit repetitive.

As regards 3D printers printing figures to the standard of current figures I do agree they
are a long way off.

Brett

 

[Mitch]

I don't think you will need very special skills to do the computer work. As for a long way off I would not expect it to be all that long though depends on what one deems as a long way off? This technology has been quietly developing for a number of years and is here now making remarkable things. Its probably only down to who wants to use it for what (if they see a profitable market) that will see its delay or early entry into certain fields.
Mitch

Brett I think your biggest threat is the rising cost of TS......and on reflection I remember how long it has taken to get the average PC to a stage where they are reliable and stop freezing up every 5 seconds etc....For the average Joe... a reliable...affordable...3D printer that can...scan...do it's own program and then produce a perfect figure is a long way off, but that is just a layman's opinion.......K&C and the other mob's would have a counter attack to 3D printers...they wont fold...in fact it may lead to a cheaper range of TS and a new market......who knows ?...cheers TomB

 

[Mr Scott]

Tom,
As long as I have been on this forum people have been commenting about the increasing prices of
TS's and nothing will change. Would comment further but there have been plenty of discussions about
price as it is and after a while it gets a bit repetitive.

As regards 3D printers printing figures to the standard of current figures I do agree they
are a long way off.

Brett

Brett

I think the only thing that will change is the title of some Threads on this very forum; for example;

Thread Title " Does Canon go well with Epson"

Answer "I find my Canon figures mix very well with my Epson figures, however if you want a more connoisseur type figure, I prefer either Lexmark or Brother.

Thread Title "The Second Hand Market"

Answer "I find figures made with original manufacturers ink cartridges hold their value better than those made with generic, after market ink cartridges"

EBAY

"For Sale very rare figure. This figure was made with a Canon Printer Model M8600; to the best of my knowledge less than 100 of these printers were ever made"


Of course if you like collecting Marching Bands, I recommend using a HP Printer, as they like to 'Jam'. (sorry, probably a cart-bridge too far!)

 

[The Military Workshop]

Brett

I think the only thing that will change is the title of some Threads on this very forum; for example;

Thread Title " Does Canon go well with Epson"

Answer "I find my Canon figures mix very well with my Epson figures, however if you want a more connoisseur type figure, I prefer either Lexmark or Brother.

Thread Title "The Second Hand Market"

Answer "I find figures made with original manufacturers ink cartridges hold their value better than those made with generic, after market ink cartridges"

EBAY

"For Sale very rare figure. This figure was made with a Canon Printer Model M8600; to the best of my knowledge less than 100 of these printers were ever made"


Of course if you like collecting Marching Bands, I recommend using a HP Printer, as they like to 'Jam'. (sorry, probably a cart-bridge too far!)

A pretty good summary:salute::. Some will be excited that their hobby will remain unchanged after all^&grin.

 

[Foxhole_Adam]

Looking a First Legion, I'd guess they 3D print for their masters

I've a fair it of experience in this tech. It's very exciting from a sculptors point of view. However I think it works best, currently, when you have a tradititional sculptor either making the original .stl file or on hand to "finish" the 3d print.

It raises all kinds of questions regarding pricing and rights when you work freelance. Lots will change in the coming months and years as tech and those using it advance.

At the moment, anyone can make a pretty looking render. The skill lies in making that render a workable production figure.

With the advance of Projet and SLS printers over the last few months its easy to see more producers going this route.

As a sculptor though, it worries me that people will expect a printable file for 30gbp as it will cost several hundred to print a single copy. I thnk people can do GREAT work in 3D but you still need an understanding of the moulding, casting AND the printing process to get a good looking figure. Just because the programme lets you "sculpt" a button on a Napoleonic Dragoon with the correctly scaled dims of 0.03 mm radius ( just an example ) doesn't mean it will print, and if it does will it cast?

Just some thoughts,

Thanks

Adam

 

[Martin Tabony]

Looking a First Legion, I'd guess they 3D print for their masters

I've a fair it of experience in this tech. It's very exciting from a sculptors point of view. However I think it works best, currently, when you have a tradititional sculptor either making the original .stl file or on hand to "finish" the 3d print.

It raises all kinds of questions regarding pricing and rights when you work freelance. Lots will change in the coming months and years as tech and those using it advance.

At the moment, anyone can make a pretty looking render. The skill lies in making that render a workable production figure.

With the advance of Projet and SLS printers over the last few months its easy to see more producers going this route.

As a sculptor though, it worries me that people will expect a printable file for 30gbp as it will cost several hundred to print a single copy. I thnk people can do GREAT work in 3D but you still need an understanding of the moulding, casting AND the printing process to get a good looking figure. Just because the programme lets you "sculpt" a button on a Napoleonic Dragoon with the correctly scaled dims of 0.03 mm radius ( just an example ) doesn't mean it will print, and if it does will it cast?

Just some thoughts,

Thanks

Adam

It's difficult enough trying to explain traditional production methods, never mind future methods!^&grin

Martin

 

[marco55]

I'll let the pros make mine.
Mark

 

[jules118]

We have one of the more advanced/expensive 3D printers in the Industrial Design faculty at the college where I teach. I'm excited by this technology, but I don't think it is going to create a serious challenge for the figure manufacturers for quite some time.

Owning a printer is not going to provide you with anything worthwhile unless you are able to produce the working files/plans for the printer to build from. That means learning the software needed to produce the 'plans' and being able to create the ideas for the figures, translate them into a plan/file that factors in all the limitations of the technology and can be read and used by the printer to produce the figure. And if you already have the design skills then you could well be sculpting/designing your figures already. 3D scanners are prohibitively expensive so I don't see a backyard 'reproduction' market springing up for some time yet. Maybe the market may be in selling the plans for figures, but I suspect that not many will have the skill to build from scratch. Then there's the cost of materials. ATM I see it being useful for rapid prototyping, which is how it is often used in industry. For anything more than a one off or sample of a component part it may be too cost prohibitive.

But, if you have some of the skills and/or the patience to learn the new skills required AND the creative ability then it starts to open a new world of possibilities for small production runs or 'master' figures to create casting molds from. Owning a guitar and learning to play it doesn't mean that you're going become another Jimi Hendrix. Any act of creation takes a bit more than learning how to use the tools.

well, that's my 20c

jules

www.juleswings.wordpress.com

 

[Poppo]

Here below some photos of the 3D printed figures.....And it costs only 225 euros.....Like 2 KC figures on horse...A real good deal, isn' t it? :wink2:


If this thing works well, the toysoldiers manufacturers can go to the changing room...

 

[jules118]

And this is a crowd funding project that could be of interest to many of us.

"Volumental, a Stockholm-based company, is created a browser-based scanner that connects to your depth camera and can grab 3D models of real objects in full color. While you’re not going to get amazing quality out of the rig, it is definitely a start. Depth cameras are basically any camera with two lenses designed for Kinect-like interaction with your computer. This app will connect to the scanner and then take the measurements and make models in the cloud." (http://tcrn.ch/17tdQeI)

The way I interpret this is that once you have completed the 3D cloud 'modelling', i.e. a computer generated, rendered version of your object, you can use the plan to produce a real 3D model using a 3D printer. Here's the link to their crowd funding campaign.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/volumental/the-3d-scan-to-print-web-app

I'm excited by this prospect

jules

http://www.juleswings.wordpress.com

 

[Mitch]

I think this will have dramatic effects on many things and a lot sooner than many would think and hope for. I can't wait to get this technology working for me
Mitch

Here below some photos of the 3D printed figures.....And it costs only 225 euros.....Like 2 KC figures on horse...A real good deal, isn' t it? :wink2:


If this thing works well, the toysoldiers manufacturers can go to the changing room...



View attachment 132945View attachment 132946

 

[Poppo]

I think this will have dramatic effects on many things and a lot sooner than many would think and hope for. I can't wait to get this technology working for me
Mitch

I totally agree.....I have always found wierd that with the nowadays technology this industry still works like in 19th century....And as you write, technology goes fast today with prices lower and lower....Exactly the contrary than the TS industry

 

[damian]

If anyone thinks this will not affect the toy soldier industry signifcantly then they are probably a bit naive. The advancement of technology is rapid and the change it brings unpredictable but profound. Look how the Internet changed the the way we buy toy soldiers.