There has been a notable increase in global 3D printing news recently. The latest is from China, where the country’s first 3D print museum, in Beijing, opened last week (January 15th). The museum, which is housed within the Industrial Design and Creative Industry Base of Beijing, highlights series of 3D printed products including cans, sports shoes and dolls.
Zhang Lekui is CEO of the museum and is a strong proponent of the 3D technologies — scanners and printers — that have been used to develop the museum’s collection. To explain his vision with the technologies he uses customized shoes as an example: “With this technology, you can design a pair of shoes just for yourself — the size of the shoes is perfectly measured based on your feet’s 3D data, collected via the 3D scanner, and you can customise colour, pattern and symbols on the computer.”
However, visitors to the museum are encouraged to experience, the technologies for themselves — they can have their entire body scanned by the 3D scanner on site, and have a miniature 3D photograph of themselves 3D printed, which will be available to them a few hours later.
Chen Dongliang, Director of Beijing’s Industrial Design Center shared his idea that 3D printing will gradually merge into our life with the growing needs of 3D movie and 3D image processing software, as the development of science and technology continues. He also believes that the price of 3D printers will continue to drop.
This is yet another great example of regional awareness growing by providing an interface to 3D printing for consumers — and potential future consumers — in a relaxed and informal setting.
Source: Morning Whistle
