Life

Top 5 Reasons to Buy a 3D Printer. What are You Waiting For?

If not, chances are you will soon. It’s like a regular printer that you connect to your computer, except instead of printing out ink on paper, it ‘prints’ actual 3D objects like key chains, dog tags and…shoes! Here are the top 5 reasons why you should get a 3D printer now.

Image: Zim 3D Printer

by Rachel Spieczny

Have you heard about 3D printing?

If not, chances are you will soon. It’s like a regular printer that you connect to your computer, except instead of printing out ink on paper, it ‘prints’ actual 3D objects like key chains, dog tags and…shoes! Here are the top 5 reasons why you should get a 3D printer now.

Image: Zim 3D Printer

Be an active participant in our ever changing world.

3D printing is just (like within the last 6 months) starting to hit the consumer market. With everyone wanting ‘homemade’ (think Etsy, Maker Faires, Instructables), the demand for user-friendly, affordable 3D printers is skyrocketing. By investing in a 3D printer now, you get in on the ground floor of an emerging technology that will soon be part of our daily lives.

Image: World Maker Faire, NYC, 2013

Be the envy of your friends and family.

Who doesn’t like to show off their latest iPhone or MacBook Air? With a 3D printer hooked up in your home or office, you can invite friends over to create a design on the computer, and within a few hours they will have their very own 3D printed object to take home as a souvenir.

Image: Zim 3D Printer

Make cool things with your kids.

3D printers are just starting to appear in schools across the country. The next generation will likely never remember life without them. Help your kids score an A+ on that next assignment by turning in a 3D printed object as part of their project. And give those neglected toys at home a new life by 3D printing them some new friends.

Image: Mixee Me Figurines

Make cool things for yourself.

You can now 3D print shoes! And while the reality of walking around in hard plastic shoes does not sound very exciting to me, it’s only a matter of time before better printing materials and designs, allow you to print yourself a pair (or a dozen pairs) of stylish AND comfortable shoes.

Image: CubeX Shoeroom by Janne Kyttanen

Fix broken things!

This is THE number one reason why 3D printers will become a fixture in our homes over the next few years. As 3D printing grows in popularity, manufacturers will start to post 3D files on their websites, so fixing things like damaged luggage will be as easy as going to the manufacturer's website, locating the file for your broken part, sending it over to your 3D printer, and printing yourself a new one. Voila, annoying broken thing fixed!

Image: Broken Luggage Handle

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