Sci/Tech 3D printing could revolutionise war and foreign policy

[The Helper]

3D printing will revolutionise war and foreign policy, say experts, not only by making possible incredible new designs but by turning the defence industry -- and possibly the entire global economy -- on its head.

For many, 3D printing still looks like a gimmick, used for printing useless plastic figurines and not much else.

But with key patents running out this year, new printers that use metal, wood and fabric are set to become much more widely available -- putting the engineering world on the cusp of major historical change.

The billion-dollar defence industry is at the bleeding edge of this innovation, with the US military already investing heavily in efforts to print uniforms, synthetic skin to treat battlewounds, and even food, said Alex Chausovsky, an analyst at IHS Technology.

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have already invented "4D printing" -- creating materials that change when they come into contact with elements such as water.

'Can't drill a curved hole' - "

3D printing -- invented in the 1980s -- is much older than many realise.

Read more here: http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/H...revolutionise_war_and_foreign_policy_999.html

 

[Varine]

So, in short, 3D printing is the innovation needed to fully rationalize the police state?

 

[Narks]

Idiotic. 3D printing is still overwhelmingly inferior to mass production for the purposes of mass production.

 

[Varine]

That line was idiotic... how do you think mass production works? It's not a type of anything that is superior to anything else, it's just a name to any system that produces a lot of shit. 3D printing isn't inferior to it, it's inferior to methods of mass production in some aspects, and overwhelmingly outperforms many other more traditional methods of making a lot of shit quickly.

 

[Accname]

Nothing is better then abusing underage chinese slave workers. It might not be the fastest or the most productive way of mass production, but its the most satisfying.

 

[Varine]

I prefer my mass productions to come from slaves who were on shift for at least two days before making mine.

 

[The Helper]

I think you guys fail to realize how big a deal this really is. The fact that they can already print with Steel, etc but just cannot mass produce it because of patents is huge.

 

[Accname]

I hate patents. It one of the worst inventions of mankind. Just think how much ahead the world would be without them.
See how well china is doing? Thats because they dont give a shit about this stupid thing.