The drawing of the parts in 3D CAD (Rhinoceros) is great practice. I have also been trying to learn Blender and a new one I just acquired called OpenSCAD. Check out the links if you are interested to see what these programs are and do… The last two are free and open source and run on any computer OS
The output of my 3D printer is not the superior finish quality to which I am accustom but what I have been making has been perfectly satisfactory for my purpose. Sometime in the future I will post a group picture of the variety of parts that have now come from my 3D printer.
The machine does all the work so it is not really a hands-on creative task like manual wood or metal working. There is a skill in setting it up properly for each printing task with all the many and various settings and adjustments. Then the machine just runs for hours unattended (I do checks on progress) until complete. A CNC milling machine is very similar. It is all about the work before the cutting begins.
Down loading .stl files from the numerous “3D Builder” sites and just running them is a fast way to get something special and already engineered. I have done a lot of that. But it is not really building a skill.
I feel the most satisfaction when I design my own objects in 3D CAD and then produce them on the 3D printer. The printer has become the driving force for developing skills in using the 3D CAD software. I believe the future value is not in the 3D printing tool but in the CAD skills that are needed to use the tool.
3D printer quality will improve and prices will stabilize. High end printed products will stay in the realm of commercial enterprise and “print shops” for some time to come. The real value will be to the people who develop the design skills in creating the required drawings. There are a lot of young people and even us old folks exercising those creative drawing talents right now. All because of the explosion in 3D printing at the affordable consumer level.
The age of the hobbyist designing the 3D printer is about over. Yes, hobby machine construction will continue, but prices have fallen to where it is now more about what can be made on a 3D printer rather than how the 3D printer can be cheaply made.
I don’t see the future for good earnings from 3D printing in posting a drawing to a website and begging for a donation. It is great practice. The key to someday making it a profession is to become expert in the software tools. A 3D printer operator (as the only skill) is not a promising high pay career except perhaps for the print shop owner or other production type operations. The minimal skills loading supplies will be needed in that realm.
The task of setting up and operating the one-off prototyping machine may fall more into the designers skills and job description. For me it is all about the creation and not just owning and running the 3D printer.
I think experience and a portfolio of personal designs will be a strong asset in starting and building a career path. Engineering studies and degree will certainly be essential for the top big corporate positions. There is or will be a growing market for this ability in the small business and production arena. 3D printing is where it is happening right now, today. The time is now, to get on the boat.
I view the somewhat corny infomercials from vendors selling their brand of 3D printer, showing a person in a high level office taking a new design off their brand of machine. Just in time for a last minute presentation. (Yeah, right…) I have to wonder how they got to that skill level and profession. But it sure looks like a worthy goal.
Dreaming about it will go nowhere.