As the news is beginning to pop up everywhere that a startup going by the name Apis-Cor has just completed the first 3D printed home using their bespoke printer, we thought it may be a good idea to put down a few tips for your 3D imaginings.
More on the 3D printed home first though as it is, after all, quite impressive. The home was completed in 24 hours, is eco-friendly and should be able to last for 175 years.
Not a huge home of course but with the possibilty of a lot of plastic being reused for this to be built, it bodes well for the environment as a whole. It should be able to home a couple quite easily with room to spare, meaning a home built for $10k (this cost includes windows, doors, electrical wiring, plumbing etc) could possibly ease the housing problem quite efficiently.
As great as this is, what can you do with 3D printing in the home?
Turns out, quite a lot, if you have a spare £400 – £1800 to spare that is. The price varies depending on which feature you require, bear in mind that there are also services available across the country from different independent companies that will print up your design. You can find these places at sites such as community colleges, vocational schools, or your local library to name a few.
If you want one to maybe build a custom item then a home 3D printer is exactly what you require. You can design the item either as a whole or in parts. Once this is done all you need is the time to print each part and the resources required to craft it.
For a lot of information on 3D printing etc you can find a local hackerspace this site shows all the projects in your local area, plus, you can hook up with people who are like-minded and others more advanced in the art to call on for assistance occasionally or have your questions answered.
If you are more inclined to let somebody else do all the hard work where you just come up with the design, then there are plenty of professional 3D printing companies vying for your hard earned cash.
The best way though, if you can afford it, is to get your own set up and experiment. There is a very good guide on Engadget that explains the differences between a lot of the products out there so have fun creating!