What are the current issues existing in 3D printing?

It’s very promising technology. But it’s so new that I’m not sure it has yet found its everyday role. It is great for hobbyists, no doubt. And there are beginning to be some commercial mass applications, but not yet mainstream.

Here are the issues as I understand them:

- raw materials cost is high, and there’s a significant waste factor.

- limitations as to size of the object being created.

- the printer itself is finicky and needs a lot of attention – it’s not like a paper printer which you set and forget about.

But as I said, 3D printing is just taking baby steps. I’m sure that in 10 years these will be solved.

3d printing has been around for a long time but it has always been expensive and time consuming. It’s been traditionally easier to machine parts. Media hype has brought it to mainstream attention. Consumer grade modules are now cheap and easy to use. They are just now becoming slightly usefull.

I’ve used it quite a bit and have made parts in plastic and steel (actually 60% stainless and 40% bronze).
Dimensional tolerances are much larger than I’d like. If I need a flat surface I must machine it after printing the part. Threads must be drilled and tapped. I can’t even rely upon the 3D printing process to give me the right through hole size. Some of the through holes were not straight and needed to be redrilled significantly.
There is a thickness limitation as well.
Some parts are best made by joining flat stock to a larger piece. I’d like to be able to 3D print something using a piece of flat stock and printing around it. Nope.

That said, if you need something where the dimensions are not critical, this can be the way to go. I use it for prototypes or show pieces.

@LuckyGuy you are trying to print nozzles, is that correct? Yeah, I still see too many limitations to make it practical for what I want to use it for. The UVlight bath technology is something I’m more interested in watching. http://www.popsci.com/new-liquid-based-3d-printer-takes-minutes-not-hours

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2thSsQrZUM

The results aren’t edible.

Call me when I can be faxed a pizza.

@SecondHandStoke Looks like somebody heard you. Beehex 3d printer for pizza.