Over the years we have witnessed various technological innovations that have greatly impacted on the hobby, one of the most recent being 3D printing. I wonder what is on the horizon. Perhaps other modellers have had similar thoughts …
Paul
2 Likes
I wonder when we’ll see 3D scanning start to make inroads. There are already phones that can create 3D digital models, so it’s only a small step towards getting those to print. You could find a museum piece, scan it, and print out your own model..
5 Likes
Fascinating thought!
Paul
1 Like
Cheap 3D printing in color will be a thing. No need to paint. No need to build. Not as sophisticated as Star Trek replicators but going in that direction.
2 Likes
Why not go “all in”?
Design and render the model in colour and then watch it spin on the screen.
The whole collection of “built” models fits in a handful of memory sticks.
No hassle when moving house, easy to take with you to shows, just need to borrow
a screen or a projector.
Maybe there will be holographic projectors (holocube??) to display a 3D-view of the model.
Shaking hands? Bad eyesight? No worries, just zoom in and let the computer handle
the shakes …
The stash of unbuilt models take zero space …
3 Likes
crazy talk
6 Likes
My prediction from a few years ago stands: we will get to the point where model companies will sell us stl files and we will print them at home or a local print shop. Only raw materials to ship across the oceans.
3 Likes
I know of a museum that scans some items and 3D prints them. Safer to display and more secure for the rare item
3 Likes
Given rapidly advancing computer technology, within a few years, we may simply ask the computer to find the best 3D model of a thing, ask it to convert the 3D model into a scale model, ask it to paint the model, send the resulting files to the municipal replicator, wait a couple days, then have a delivery android drop it off.
2 Likes
This thought has been on my mind for a little while.
Right now, I’d like to see existing or new brands using 3d printing to offer a greater diversity of topics at a better price and multiple scales. This latter point is already here I find, and on a platform like Etsy you can already order models at the scale you fancy among a choice of them. But for the diversity of topics and better prices, I’m still waiting, at least for what I do. I’m not planning on buying a 3d printer anytime soon, and I find that the choice of 3d printed models, while increasing, is still limited and pricy. Perhaps it’s because the few brands I’ve found only produce a few kits, and it would take mass production to lower the costs.
So, yes, perhaps the best long term option is good stl files that we can print at home, or on demand at local stores that will probably open everywhere with time.
My two cents
2 Likes
If I made a quality drawing of a model I would never, ever sell the files. Consider what happens to music and picture files. Immediately stolen.
4 Likes
My one concern is that the logical conclusion (scans, 3D prints, robots painting and pre-assembly etc) takes the hobby out of the equation. I like building and painting my little masterpieces!
7 Likes
Spot on Tom; just about the whole point for my raison d’etre at the moment(!)
2 Likes
Yes, our library system has a 3D printer available for public use.
2 Likes
I’d like to see 3D printers of 50X or 100X that produce models with no visible striations or print lines. I still find the 3D models of today a bit crude. When they get them styrene molded smooth, then I’ll buy.
4 Likes
Plastic kits have been around since the 1930s-ish (Frog?). In the late 80s (?) resin AM was introduced, followed by photoetch, better glues, new paint mediums, etc., and now 3D printing. No complaints here; all good. All the while, the quality of injection molded kits has continued to improve. The constant: plastic models KITS. I have no doubt that STLs and the ability to print / rescale your own kits and/or accesories will become more common place. And as @Fanchmodel suggested this may indeed be a service that LHS will provide for those of us who have neither the inclination, the space nor the money to invest in a 3D printing suite.
I feel that for the foresable future plastic kits are not going anywhere. They will remain the trunk of the family tree that anchors the various branches that sprout up. And more to the point:
Although, for myself, the use of the word “masterpieces” may be a wee bit of a stretch. 
4 Likes
I buy a lot of 50 mm printed figures on Ali Express. While not all of the military figures are accurate ( 
), the fantasy figures are very good, and all the printed figures are high def and there are no visible printing lines. They’re as smooth as plastic only much better quality.
Thank God Shapeways folded!
2 Likes
It appears that my question generated a lot of interest. I see that many modellers, like me, still have a love of the traditional injection-moulded plastic kits; they’re what we grew up with. I can’t see these disappearing in the near future, but the more recent developments have certainly added a new dimension to the hobby. We can only guess as to what will come next … exciting thought!
Paul
2 Likes
You should follow the “Because it is there” campaign. Someone is printing and building a large scale kit for their entry.
Someone else is making a KV2 with 3 turrets fixed together.
So, 3D is here. It is being used and as Matt said, More will participate as the printer quality improves.
I see this as a path for the hobby to grow. Brick and mortar stores have almost gone. I tried to find some Tamiya paint the other day and I can’t find any local sources. Because mail order is the thing now, how much of a jump is it to just download a $3.00 file and print your kit, saving postage.
a Model company would become a computer based design company. They make the cad drawings now that look great. Convert into a program for a printer and bingo. They can sell you a one time use file for what their profit margin is and they would have no materials cost, No molds to make, no labor costs and no shipping. If an error dimensionally was found, a simple file update would be all they need. To me the logic is overwhelming.
2 Likes
Firstly there are two types of 3D printing, PLA and Resin. PLA is far cleaner than resin, but produces a fair amount of lines on the models which is not a lot of good for detailed modellers. Resin is far better but is messy and toxic, it is not a process for casual printing as post and pre printing requires a lot of preparation and cleaning. There is also a reasonable percentage chance that prints will fail if the printer is not regularly used. The quality of the available resins is improving each year, but until the processes improve (either improving the quality of PLA, or the convenience of Resin), I cannot see every home having one. As mentioned, there is also the issue of file re-distribution. Unless cleverly policed, it wouldn’t be long before all 3D models would be freely available online, albeit illegally. There would be no incentive for model makers to keep making new models.
3 Likes