wrote in message
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On Wednesday, 10 February 2016 16:11:06 UTC, Theo wrote:
"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:

I'm wondering if they are simply the latest fad. Which may eventually
replace making things in a traditional way - but is still a long way
from
doing so, and may never. A bit like battery technology. Constantly
being
improved, but still a long way off from storing energy in the same way
as
a tank of petrol etc can. But is always just round the corner.

The main issue with additive 3D printing is how long it takes. Because
of
the need to scan a 3D space, it takes roughly the cube of the resolution.
Until this can be done in parallel, it's going to be limited by how fast
the
head can move which is governed by momentum and not something that can be
massively improved.

3d printed houses are already many times faster than brick & block, and
there's plenty of scope for speed increase both in laying down cement mix
and in setup times.

A real step change is just starting to happen.

I doubt it.

The houses we inhabit now will seem very poorly
designed & bland in a decade or 2's time.

They always do.