HOME FABRICATION
(Posted 2007-05-04 11:42:27 by ArchPaladin)

So, the cool link for the day is this one [ http://www.fabathome.org/ ]
[fabathome.org].  This website hosts a wiki dedicated to people trying to
advance the field of home fabrication.

As detailed on the site, for the rock bottom price of about $2500, you can
put together your own home fabrication device.  If you have no idea what
this is, then allow me to elaborate.

Think of a printer in 3D.  You have a specialized piece of software on your
computer that allows you to create three dimensional structures - like a
design program.  This program sends its output to this fab device, which
then actually constructs the thing that you had designed out of some
feedstock material that you have previously put into it (think of a
printer's ink cartridge, just not ink).  Come back in a number of hours,
and the thing is done and your item is built.

Fantastically cool stuff.

Of course, the thing is somewhat limited at present.  Feedstock material is
limited to craftable and easily destroyable material, like cheese,
play-doh, and chocolate.  Apparently you can also use some weird
part-silicone substance that is more durable.  Also, the entire object must
currently be made out of one material.  Nevertheless, there is fabulous
promise here.

If this took off, it would completely revolutionize the manufacturing
industry.  Depending on how complex an object you could create, you can
completely obliterate the need for cheap mass-produced goods because you
would always be able to produce everything yourself.

I'd be really psyched to own one of these and see what I could do with it. 
Sadly, I do not have $2500 just lying around to play with, but perhaps in a
couple of years I will get one.

Until then, I'll be watching with fascination.

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