3-D Printed Vessels .

GIGO

Remember that computing term?  Garbage In, Garbage Out.   

A 3D designer’s product is only as good as his design data.  Even then the product may not be totally correct, like the set of Mk-51 gunfire directors that were about 10 scale feet tall.   When I called him on it the size he corrected the design & reprinted it  

Even with great data the 3D designer may not have the artistic eye necessary to create an effective model   He (she) may also be trapped in a print technology which does not fully reproduce the nuances of the design

I am a fan of 3D technology and believe it will revolutionize the hobby industry, sort of like when injected plastic replaced balsa in model airplanes    

Yeah, I've seen a new seller recently on eBay, selling 3D-printed 1/1200 ships.  I considered buying a couple, because he included subjects not previously available in plastic, like the Saratoga in her late-war configuration, or the South Dakota/Massachusetts and some cruisers.  But the detail was soft, not even as crisp as the detail of the old Pyro kits.  And the price was just a little too much for me, for that quality.  And white metal kits of those ships and others are still available, in production, if I really want to add them to my collection.  So I passed.  But yes, I think that process and technology will continue to improve.  It'll be driven by demand.

A couple of mumbles.

Ed I agree completely. Once the industry starts to set up shared files that we all can contribute to, CAD  (now Revit) models will be incredible. I've been designing buildings now for 40 years. Big one like 70 story towers and airports (soup kitchens too). My small company doesn't much participate in Revit, but the architects and contractors do to convert my design to a physical building.

Watch the prices of 3D. I've seen a pilot model sell for $ 800.00 and the next week be on line for $ 20.00 or so.

It's a really fascinating industry now, no longer a smoke stack one.

The Luddite in me suggests that printing your own models from your own files is a while off. But wow, sending a file from source A to printer B is now possible.

Aha"G"!

    You are right. Now there is the fact of the artistic side to take into account. I do believe these 3-D printed items can and are finding homes .This is my first connections to them. Sadly their Tuna boat looks similar .

   Remember Tuna Clippers? They looked very similar to some of the yachts in the sixties .