3D printed Sand Beast
You can find kits in boxes, you can find kits in bags, you can buy kits off the shelf and you can have kits delivered and now you can download kits. 3D printing is opening up opportunities in many areas and kits are no exception. As mentioned in the previous post, The Free Universal Construction Kit, which enables the builder to attach various construction toys together, is available to download to your 3D Printer.
3D printers such as Makerbot are still expensive but prices are dropping all of the time and whilst two thousand dollars isn't that cheap, compared to it's industry cousins the Makerbot Replicator 2 is much more affordable. Whilst powdered resin is still the most common material to be used in these machines other substances are being developed to run through these printers, metal for instance can be machined via 3D printer and companies such as bicycle component manufacturers are already making objects via these machines.
It isn't just inorganic materials that are possible to create via 3D technology, scientists have recently created a human ear using a 3D printer and the range of possibilities for this type of manufacturer seem almost endless. This obviously has implications for kits, in the future it is entirely possible that you could download a kit via 3D printer and assemble it at home. Partially assembled kits are entirely possible because of the ability of the technology to create undercuts, you could for instance create a working mechanical watch via 3D printer and if you follow the link to the Strandbeest website you will see what is possible.
All of this means that kits could have a future that is linked to 3D printing and the only limitations at present appears to be imagination.
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