| General > General Technical Chat |
| Why we didn't have 3d printers before? |
| << < (5/12) > >> |
| Alex Eisenhut:
We did. Just not at home. Computer driven machinery has been around for a looooong time. But as others pointed out, home computers in the 1980s would have been barely adequate. |
| beanflying:
--- Quote from: Domagoj T on February 15, 2020, 07:15:06 pm --- --- Quote from: beanflying on February 15, 2020, 05:25:00 pm ---If you want to play semantics then the OP asked about 'cheap printers' in the opening post he did not ask about software or costs in time to make that printer work. --- End quote --- Why would you separate the cost of the machine from the cost of developing and using the software necessary to run that machine? One is useless without the other. --- End quote --- Because there is no point having any software without the hardware first to use it on. In the case of NC or Gcode based machines they don't care about how good or bad the software or pretty 3D pictures on a screen they just need data they understand. There is in reality zero need for CAD in the modern sense or a Slicer. Autocad 2 I started with wasn't released until the mid 80's I think and would have been of little direct use to drive this sort of machine without major manual post processing. Regardless of then or now a PC or Computer of some sort is needed in the chain and I could take an IBM XT of that era to calculate and write a Gcode instruction set, point it at an attached interface board to this mythical 3D printer and it would step around and spit plastic. This number crunching and text editing rather than 'software' was how it was done with little to no automation and has a time cost but without the hardware pointless. This same approach even now could be used to write Gcode but no one in their right mind would do it. While this is away from the OP's initial post knowing the reality and limits of technology of the time is important. Time has a Cost. |
| Alex Eisenhut:
Um, 1980s pepakura? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_model https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Designer_Castles http://www.mos6502.com/friday-commodore/3d-printing-with-the-c64/ |
| Mr. Scram:
--- Quote from: Alex Eisenhut on February 15, 2020, 07:30:11 pm ---We did. Just not at home. Computer driven machinery has been around for a looooong time. But as others pointed out, home computers in the 1980s would have been barely adequate. --- End quote --- CNC machining isn't printing. |
| Cerebus:
--- Quote from: xrunner on February 15, 2020, 05:08:54 pm ---... No one in their right mind would gather together a group of people with ancient technology to build another pyramid to match the ones in Egypt. ... --- End quote --- You haven't encountered experimental archaeologists have you? :) If they thought they could get away with it they would! A '13th century' castle, in construction since 1997 using authentic techniques and tools of the time: |
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