Katie Brown.

What is the art of customization? What does 3D printing have to do with customization and mass production?  

What my goal is to understand and comprehend why Customization and 3D printing are important, and why it is the future of production.

Here are the steps I will take in order for me to learn, understand, and show I have mastered CUSTOMIZATION AND 3D PRINTING!

1. Collect data from reliable and credible sources. I will re-read the first few chapters of Fabricated, and take notes of what the vision of the future of 3D printing looks like

2.  I will google different articles on the topic and learn more about 3D printing production of today and the future forecast.

3. Start collecting all the data I would like to use, and creating order to it. Remembering all I have learned throughout the semester- look at my notes… Gather that data.

4. Create a rough draft of what my “post would look like”

5. GOAL: CREATE A BUZZFEED POST ABOUT THE 10 REASONS WHY 3D PRINTING IS THE FUTURE OF CUSTOMIZATION

This class is one of the best classes I have ever taken. It has challenged me in many different ways. I came into this class without a real idea of what to expect.  From the start, I knew this course would challenge me. I didn’t know anything about 3D printing, or what came along with designing a printable object. I didn’t know how to design in sketch up, and it posed a challenge for me. I spend a lot of time using inDesign and Photoshop, but never learned autoCad. It was interesting to learn, because once I did it was so much fun. I also learned so much about the markets for 3D printing and what companies are doing now to make money by using 3D printing. I think what shape ways is doing is incredible, and I never even knew who they were before this class! Before going to maker’s faire I had no idea about the amount of people and progress the world of 3D printing has made. I have learned a lot about what the future of 3D printing looks like from reading our textbook. I excited to learn more, and I think we still have a lot more to cover.

For me, the future of 3D printing is limitless. I see endless possibilities when presented to 3D printing. As a designer, I feel especially comforted in knowing that the future of 3D printing is being put back into the hands of the creators and makers. When I read in fabricated about the ability for limitless customization it made me wonder, what would I do if I could create anything I wanted? Would I create a metal phone case that was gold? Or would I create an entire chessboard with my own little chess pieces? When thinking about back to chapters 1 and 2, When thinking about a world where if I lost my toothbrush I would be able to print a new one at home. I would be able to pick what I wanted my toothbrush to look like, if I wanted it to be soft, or hard, and most importantly: I could create it at home. I love the idea of having small businesses being important. I hate what corporation have done and when I read about small based cloud companies being able to print for someone, rather than having a corporation mass producing it- then I am all for it! I think the importance of knowing the art of customization is possible and will continue to live on in a mass produced society, that is what makes me want to continue to learn about 3D printing, and the technology behind it. Again, being able to have customization at the small-scale level is what I believe to be the best part about 3D printing. Being able to see companies like Shapeways form and create a niche market for their clients is what really keeps me focused on the future of 3D printing. I want to see more companies like shape ways thriving from 3D printing. If we could completely eliminate mass production and start to print EVERYTHING, then the entire consumer world would change. A revolution!