Applying an education

   I am arming myself through market research and market behavior. Both of these are very important when a market establishment is occurring. One is a tool best utilized before and one should be prioritized after because it is more reactionary. Predicting the nature of one's business and the industry as a whole puts one who educates himself in the driver's seat. We all know that an industry driver is one step above and industry leader.

  Market  impact could yield short, medium and long term impacts. Geographical focus areas can be outlined including core capabilities can quickly be identified. How did I find technical jargon to fit the predictors. Well, I discovered these sites through Lifehacker. The two sites I have decided to utilize are Accelerator U from Canada which is geared toward entrepreneurs and EDx which aggregates various Ivy league schools and offers 12 weeks of online education in a variety of subjects. Feel free to investigate  EDx and we can possibly further our exchanges via Google Plus.

Perspective with a new cycle

   As we progress through the year I want to make sure that I am not completely internalizing the landscape of 3-d printing. I would like to think that I can balance optimistic predictions from the companies that are heavily invested versus the media that picks up on trends with out learning the backbone that could sustain the industry. Which is why today I looked in on two different forms of interaction beyond the headlines and talking heads. The first was a partnership tutorial between geekbeat.tv and Autodesk. It was basically an hour and a half of sketchbook pro. This program is Autodesk's version of Microsoft Paint for lack of a better descriptor. It uses pressure sensitive touch screens and pens to create. They actually encouraged viewers not to use a mouse and keyboard because of the stress on wrists and carpal tunal. I definitely found this interesting and refreshing because although I did learn on a drafting table, like many of my generation the advantage of the previous one was the adaptation to the mouse and keyboard. It's nice that we have the best of both worlds at our disposal. The tutorial was beginner's level and definitely did not move into 3d territory but we all have to start somewhere and it opens doors to the creativity that we desire through 3d printing.

   The next seeds that were planted were with a Google Hangout dedicated to encouraging STEM. It was supported by the White House  and was part as We The Geeks (which is completely different that geekbeat)
It took us from grade schoolers to PHDs and everything in between. Hopefully, it should encourage Juniors who are taking the SAT and making their choices for colleges pick a 3d adjacent course. Did I coin a new term? I hope I did. Also they mentioned the importance of a support group and one of my favorite student organizations in college NSBE. When I was in NSBE one of our main missions was bridging the digital divide. Although the barrier of entry has been lowered for basic internet access it has transferred  to equipment. So the battle continues and hopefully a new cycle will be created.

Biomimcry and a bright smile

    Turning plastic into organic materials crosses another scientific pursuit of mine. My other interest is bio mimicry I believe these will soon intersect. I believe this because abstract ideas are brought into reality using 3d printers. Then they are brought to the board room adjusted and iterated again. These prototypes are not used as final mock ups. We want them to be more than artistic statements. We desire something that fits our environment. The best designer with the most innovations is often nature. As a human race there are many parts of the planet that have not been explored and hold unknown secrets. We are still processing scenes before they disappear forever and would like to use them in our own design. That is not selfish it is advancement. That is why artists using 3d printers to turn plastic into organic like materials. Materials science and the physics that accompanies it could definitely improve artificial ideas with our own dose of reality.

  One such application is a tool that we as humans very much desire to keep with us as long as possible, our teeth. The better that we can mimic the best set of these and reproduce the best results, the longer that we can live a better more fulfilling and healthier life. That is why Stratysys has launched VeroGlaze which prints dental models with precise A2 color shade and can be used for crowns, bridge restorations and try-in veneers. Hopefully, this is the path that we can continue to head down for legitimacy.

Can we see past the Snark

   I believe I stated before that with 3-d printing, momentum is key. Not just sustaining a presence in the public eye but staying in the public conscience as a viable option. When we are closing in on a generation that is used to communicating in 140 characters or less we cannot be satisfied with a buzz because it can quickly evaporate. Even technical achievements can quickly turn to overhype. My generation has seen  the tech bubble grow and burst and therefore often times approach sure bets with cynicism instead of optimism. So the goal should be to survive the snark.Only you motivate full scale adoption. As an engineer I am used to getting ideas shot down and saying back to the drawing board. That is one of the reasons 3d-printing reached out to my discipline first. We are not lawyers or doctors but we are still professionals. Often times we are the ones that provide tools for these fields. So will the engineering field provide a push to keep the momentum going past trivial obstacles to full scale adoption?

More than an uphill climb

 The uphill climb digitally will be much different than the digital realm. That is where 3d printing has its advantages and disadvantages. Because the market lies in both so it must be represented in both. It is definitely of interest to brick and mortar stores as the physical presence of stores is waning what with Amazon delivering all of our packages via drone soon and rendering the Post Office obsolete. Almost twenty ears to the date I submitted my first form of long form technical writing. It was on the oncoming revolution of Virtual Reality. It was of great interest to 14 year olds at the time as was Nirvana and Wu-tang but summers came and went and just now we are seeing glimpses of its fruition. I may dig through the archives and post the paper (it is it's anniversary after all) and see if the information and buzz equal 3d printing. I was not as polished then, nor did I have the vast resources of the internet at my fingertips but I think it provides a decent picture of the first taste I got of the wow factor. There was no digital realm to speak of but from what I remember the technologies should piggy back off one another now. The store fronts that cannot display 3d printed items could be mimicked using the Oculus Rift. On the other hand the virtual items that the Oculus Rift displays from videogames and movies could be brought to a smaller scale or life size using a 3d printer.

Nature plus

    So we have heard about the duck prosthetic. Cheap, efficient and a technical marvel that was adopted by wildlife. People care about nature, but as a guideline they really care about their pets. We may not be ready for 3-d printing to enter the emergency room. However, we should at least be ready for the incremental step of allowing it for medical treatment of our pets. Health insurance for pets is not common practice so I feel like the more effective viable options the better. Just as we were quickly able to socially allow the cloning of animals. We should be able to repair the horses broken leg that would have met a much darker fate. I had a cat that got its leg broken by an automobile. It took six months of basic isolation and a pretty sizeable cast before the cat recovered. Wouldn't it have been easier and better for rehabilitation if a habitat were printed conducive to the injury received and a cast that was much lighter and natural for the feline. I just wanted to take the general story a little bit farther forward for natural benefits of additive manufacturing.

Personal Exploration

  This week was fulfilled with encouraging news from my own 3d printing journey as opposed to the outside. I made contact with the head of the additive manufacturing, Brett Connor. I inquired of the availability of workforce development programs as well as the possibility for an interview so can share his insights with you guys. Next, I contacted the company responsible for the Pothole Killer which is a rapid repair system for potholes. I hopefully will be able to make a price comparison between a 3d printed solution. Next I'm trying to meet with a local landscaper and highschool buddy to present an idea that should help with a feasibility study. I was also encouraged by a topic that occurred organically on 3d printing from John P. with GeekBeat.TV. There was a basically a large check-in with engineers their degrees and level of interest in 3d printing. Hopefully, I can reach out to these guys too.

Grounded but with aspirations

    Today we are going to stay grounded, heads are out of the clouds and feet solidly planted on the pavement. Well not really because we are talking space. New industrialization will not come easy. Take NASA for example, they are happy to develop tools and science instruments for 3d printing but they are not the leaders in science that they once were. Since the space shuttle program is over. Commercial missions are more often considered for going into space and resupplying space stations  and satellite maintenance. Planetary jaunts are less and less even though as far as I have heard Mars was a major win. Wouldn't it be great if as a vehicle delivered it's pay load it could go to the next space station with new tools for that specific need instead of returning for a resupply. Taking it a step further planetary missions could be extended to other planets with repairs and specialized tools becoming available upon landing. Let's hope the big wigs at NASA take the opportunity to jump in the driver's seat to realize these opportunities.

   Bloomberg editor at large decided to take on a manufacturer of large 3d printers and grill him on his companies future. This surprised me because he did not have his fourth quarter earnings but pressed on anyway. He led off by stating that the 3d printers that were available at Staples were not selling well. Then he upscaled it to Voxeljet as they sell 3d printers for industrial use. However, Rudolf Franz would not fall for this comparison and said the 3 3d printers that his company sold last quarter were worth 1,200 MakerBot printers. All in all it was pretty interesting seeing how Voxeljet responded to the questions of this new industrial age being thwarted before it started.

Sci-fi today

    So today we are going to try to go with the future of 3d printing and then ground ourselves back in reality again. Many times science fiction is an impetus for real world technology. I must admit I am a huge sci-fi fan and many of the books that I read when I was young and still read down to this day have come true. Food replicators that create food out of thin air are in it's current iteration of 3d printers.  Just like on the Enterprise lack of resources meant that this was necessary, NASA is also looking at using 3d printers to expand the menu of future space travelers. The pharmaceutical industry could also use an overhaul as many trials, studies, and test subjects could give way to specially designed medications that could save lives and expand the human standard for well being. I gathered this tonight from a show called Almost Human. I do not know how long it will be on the air, but it's take on the future is intriguing.
       
   We now have to move to grounding the industry once again. 3d printing needs  strong relationships with manufacturers. As the projections are for 1 billion in revenue by the end of 2016 integration and implementation partners are necessary. This would avoid Chinese sourcing, which is currently the dirge of the US economy and could provide the means for us to decrease the US debt. It could also take global economy and all it's headaches and shrink them locally again. Thereby avoiding tariffs, taxes and NAFTA agreements. These are grounded solutions to problems facing the industry today, let's hope they work.

Markets and predictions

     So after all the momentum that was built last month, the news of lasr month didn't transfer over to this month. Unfortunately, the stock disagreed with the forecasts of the White House this year. It sort of  moved counterculture but definitely reinforced my opinions ofnthe last week where I said a strong foundation is necessary.  Houses built on quicksand will never last. Maybe this is what the correct educational insights can correct. I agree with Jim Cranmer that this is a short term hit forma long term gain. Of course my interests lie more in entrepreneurial and research pursuits but its nice to chime in every once in a while.

    More locally, Spark AK is going on this weekend here in Akron. I unfortunately could not make the inaugural one. It is an event where basically you are locked in for a weekend with a team to come up with and present a business plan. You do have to buy tickets for it. It is not a  free event to participate in. I will have a brief report sonif anyone is interested they can attend next year.

Fear of missing out

Additive manufacturing interactions are still new. Don't know if there is protocol  yet on how they will deal with the flurry of questions they will receive due to national attention. I am happy that I was able to gain access to the director but I would rather get or have access or have knowledge that a foundation is being built.  I guess the scale of the operation needs to fit the press it's currently getting.
    Therefore I am looking further into at least workforce development and hopefully be able to gain first hand perspective and encourage my Alma mater the University of Akron to dip it's toe in the water. Additive manufacturing and polymers are the future of material sciences. I refuse to be so close physically to astounding applications and a brilliant future for a region that sorely needs it.

  

Additive Manufacturing

    The second additive manufacturing center in the country has opened up in Youngstown. All levels of higher education will be supported. Undergrad, graduate and PHD and also workforce development. I think many engineers could benefit from workforce development with at least the added skill of rapid prototyping could you imagine the industrial push forward that the economy could benefit from these classes? The White House certainly does as they announced that they are hosting their first Maker Faire. So they are really backing up the forum they created at the State of the Union.

    Popular Mechanics also decided to write about the CEO of AutoDesk in it's February issue. I have used Autocad since 1991 and have really grown with the ecosystem every command line shortcut, necessary upgrade and liscence seat conflict has ledmus to this point. It turns out that he is anhuge Maker himself. Most of the interview was done feom his workshop. Equipment was listed, squaee footage was bandied about, and his latest projects were discussed. The future of Autodesk as he foresees it seems to be less regulated and built upon industries they already have a foothold in.

    Cnet also entered into twitter this weekend a tweet that I immediately had to respond to. They took the story of the ugly duckling and the 3d printer and ran with it as a limiting factor or ceiling in 3d printing. I responded to the tweet and added stratsys and my favorite news update 3d print girl and waited to see what happened. Because clearly the limits of 2014 should not come from a story that I also wrote about in August of 2013.