Price Factors
Most desktop 3D printers cost around 20,000 RMB, while some domestically developed products range from 2,000 to 20,000 RMB. However, according to 3D printer distributors, while domestically produced 3D printers are cheaper, their quality is difficult to guarantee.
For desktop 3D printers, their application is very limited because they can only print plastic products. Furthermore, the operating cost of 3D printers remains high for home users. Before printing an object, one must understand 3D modeling, convert the data into a format that the 3D printer can read, and then print.
Raw Materials
3D printing is not a highly complex technology. The difference between it and ordinary printing lies in the printing materials.
Object, an Israeli company, possesses the most printing materials. It can already use 14 basic materials and mix them to create 107 different materials. Mixing and coloring two materials is already a reality. However, the variety of these materials is still far less than the materials found in the world we live in. Moreover, the prices of these materials range from a few hundred RMB per kilogram to around 40,000 RMB for the most expensive.
Risk and Cost
Just as nuclear reactions can generate electricity but also cause destruction, 3D printing technology has presented a series of hidden concerns from its inception, and its future development continues to worry many. The idea of perfectly replicating everything, of being able to manufacture anything imaginable, sounds appealing, but it's also undeniably frightening.
The 3D Printing Paradox
3D printing creates objects layer by layer. To achieve greater detail, each layer needs to be thinner; to increase printing speed, layer thickness needs to be increased, inevitably impacting product precision and quality. Compared to traditional large-scale industrial production, producing products with the same precision offers no cost advantage, especially considering time and economies of scale.
Industry Standards
The 21st century has seen a proliferation of 3D printer manufacturers. The lack of standards means that the same 3D model printed by different printers will yield vastly different results.
Furthermore, there's a lack of standards for printing materials. In 2012-2013, 3D printer manufacturers sought to sell their own printing materials to consumers to secure stable revenue. While this approach is understandable, given that regular printers also follow this model, the inconsistent raw materials used by 3D printer manufacturers vary greatly in form and content. This makes it difficult for material suppliers to enter the market, resulting in high R&D costs and supply risks, hindering the formation of a complete industry chain.
Process Issues: Many people may think that 3D printing is simply designing a model on a computer, regardless of its complexity, and then pressing a button to print a finished product. This impression is incorrect. Designing a model, especially a complex one, requires extensive engineering and structural knowledge, meticulous skills, and adjustments based on specific circumstances. For example, in plastic melting printing, without proper internal support in a complex part, the printed result is likely to be deformed. Post-printing processes are also usually unavoidable. The media portrays 3D printing as a magical tool that can be used immediately after printing. However, in reality, several post-printing processes are required: sanding, sintering, assembly, and cutting, which typically involve a significant amount of manual labor.
