A new 3D printing infographic has hit the wires, this one from Autodesk. The aim is to graphically highlight the benefits of 3D printing for small businesses. It’s a noble aim. The infographic points to the great and the good applications (using the full range of 3D printers available), but then focuses in on the prosumer grade platforms and how they can bring value to smaller businesses.
As far as we can see, there is only one hugely misleading point, and this is unlikely to be intentional, where a bubble highlights that “Makerbot, in Brooklyn, is using 3D printers to produce 3D printers at a rate of 20 minutes per device.” Now, Makerbot may be producing a Rep 2 every twenty minutes and they could use 3D printers to produce some of the parts, but, 3D printers are not producing whole 3D printers! For one, even the hi-tech platforms do not work that fast, and two, processes, materials and electronics are still a long way from such capabilities!
