Topic: 3D Printing to replace actual companies?

[Tamer]

I am sitting here this morning pondering the future of our hobby after seeing this grand creation that was 3D Printed by one Drew Johnson I found on Facebook yesterday.

Will the artwork turn from sculpting to just 3D designing and then printing? How are the AF and Collectible Compaines gonna keep up when there are such great artists like this that can just design and print what they want?

I can't even begin to imagine where copyright enfringement would come into this too. I don't see how they could ever stop it now. Would 3D Designers have to pay a license fee to design and print and sell their stuff? Crazy stuff going through my head this morning, but I would be lieing if I said I hadn't looked at 3D Printers this morning.

[dax415]

Perhaps in the future there may be a time, but even with 3D printing as it is..... there are just some things not within the realm of being fully file and print.  I say this from someone who's watched the trend from a resin model hobby.  There are some shapes that are inherit to "flawed" printing or can be done by other materials and sculpting methods cheaper if one has access to it.  I think where as an industry we'll start to see infringement action is when the big boys feel they are missing out on $$$.  For me, I think a quality well done product that responsibly listens to customer base is still paramount.... when any company screws that up... you leave the door open to someone willing to step and fill those shoes.  By that logic, it's sorta how people can make their own soda..... people STILL try and go out and replicate coke or pepsi.  While sales are down in comparison to the past.... its not cause people learned to do their own.... its cause people's wants/needs changed.  In this case, i think health concerns and not wanting to ingest sugar in excessive amounts.  All of which doesn't alleviate a company's need to deliver a qualitative product in touch with customer wants and willingness to purchase said product.  Just my 2 cents....

[MandoMuggle]

Perhaps in the future there may be a time, but even with 3D printing as it is..... there are just some things not within the realm of being fully file and print.  I say this from someone who's watched the trend from a resin model hobby.  There are some shapes that are inherit to "flawed" printing or can be done by other materials and sculpting methods cheaper if one has access to it.  I think where as an industry we'll start to see infringement action is when the big boys feel they are missing out on $$$.  For me, I think a quality well done product that responsibly listens to customer base is still paramount.... when any company screws that up... you leave the door open to someone willing to step and fill those shoes.  By that logic, it's sorta how people can make their own soda..... people STILL try and go out and replicate coke or pepsi.  While sales are down in comparison to the past.... its not cause people learned to do their own.... its cause people's wants/needs changed.  In this case, i think health concerns and not wanting to ingest sugar in excessive amounts.  All of which doesn't alleviate a company's need to deliver a qualitative product in touch with customer wants and willingness to purchase said product.  Just my 2 cents....

Tis true! I have a 3d printer and There are parts that are just cheaper and more effective to sculpt by hand and or mold/cast.

Wish my current printer could make something at this size! I would have to print multiple small parts for this to work with my current printer

[Aude]

Will the artwork turn from sculpting to just 3D designing and then printing? How are the AF and Collectible Compaines gonna keep up when there are such great artists like this that can just design and print what they want?

Have you seen the completed full scale 3.75" Razor Crest created by Lee Burchell? That one is incredible. I think a lot of the sculpting/modeling has already gone to STL (esp inorganic pieces); I often feel as if I'm behind the curve. I've been seriously considering picking up a resin printer and learning 3D design for a while now but haven't pulled the trigger yet. The main factor holding me back from it is having to explain the odor the resin is said to have.

How will companies like Hasbro keep up? Why, by creating toys in every scale and style they can dream up directed at demographics that increasingly do not care about physical products, of course!;D Truly though, does it matter if the plan is already to offer maybe a handful of truly new figures yearly for TVC and maybe double that for TBS? If working with independent artists is the future of the hobby, I'm not opposed.

[Tamer]

Wow, you guys have put out some great thoughts here. I am pondering. I will leave more comments after I let this digest and swirl around in the vortex I call my brain.

[Tamer]

So thinking back on last week's conversation with Hasbro and the lack of 3.75" product I have a question for you fine artists this morning.

Do you think the frustration of not having enough 3.75" products would ever force you out of regular retail and you would just buy a 3D Printer to just make what you want?

[Darth More]

Yes, I know many customizers who do an excellent job on this already! Like Forum member RuhrTrooper. And he's helping me to get a 3D printer, too. So I'm working on getting into the software and what  not to explore the endless possibilities of CAD/CAM and beyond…

It seems the current brand team for Star Wars at Hasbro just doesn't get what collectors/sonsumers want or doesn't receive the support from their CEO. It's furstrating to be a 3.75 collector, even though I'm crying on a high level here. I mean we got an all new Desert Skiff, a Jabba's Palace Playset and some 8,000 lucky folks got the Sail Barge. I'm still shaking my head why Hasbro just won't exploit the now exsisiting moulds of this beauty any more. They could've easily sold 20,000 units.

I was going to write a comment on this topic anyway. Even if I was a 6" collector, I'd be kinda pissed with all the repacks. I mean the packaging and facial paint apps just gets better and better - so if I had bought all the TBS stuff so far, I would feel let down with the 40th Anniversary Cards now - they look brilliant and much better compared to the box design of the main line. But that's just my opinion.

The answer, again, is YES! But for now I'm happy with casting parts. I'm planning to start printing in 5-10 years.

[JDeck]

If I had a 3d printer, and knew how to do the programming and all, I'd probably just make accessories and diorama parts, maybe some heads or add on parts, but probably not entire figures. Hasbro has the resources to make the ultimate and definitive version of whatever figure or vehicle they want. 3d printing has it's limitations, you're not going to get the details and moving parts like Hasbro can make. That RazorCrest would be thousands of dollars on Shapeways, and it's the basic shell. No transparent windows no moving parts just a block. It's cool, don't get me wrong, but Hasbro has the resources to make something mind blowing. Since they choose not to do that in 3.75 on a regular basis, we really have no choice. Same goes for figure customizers in general, if you want something, you just make it. It may or may not be as good as what Hasbro would make but it's made.

[Tamer]

Valid points for you both.

I think with the way technology is going printing designs and costs are just going to keep going down so much that even dummies like me will try it. The detail I have seen with some of these 3D Printed Razor Crests is just phenomenal. I can't even imagine what it will be like in ten years. I expect the prices for these designs to go down too.

I don't expect Hasbro to ever totally let the 3.75" historical line (hate hearing it called that) go, but they are only going to do it token service unless folks stop buying the 6 inchers, which isn't gonna happen. A lot of folks are now invested in that line and aren't going to stop buying it. I do agree its crazy that they are already repackaging the six inchers, but they constantly do that with the 3.75" line too.

I am seriously giving some thought to getting one. I will document my adventures if I do.

[Darth More]

LegacyArts got himself a 3D printer and makes it burn at the moment - because demand is high! Here's a prime example of what you can do and what the near future holds for us when Hasbro leaves us desperate.




Jens sent me these parts for 40€ a couple weeks ago. Didn't get share the pics earlier.

[Tamer]

I think the tech and the price on these and the quality is just gonna get better and better and then the money will be in selling the print designs.

[Darth More]

It is! And Mighty Jabba's Collection shows another possibility for our hobby, which is present today!

One of these action figures is 3D printed - Mighty Jabba's Collection

I'll be back soon with my new co-pilot...going to jump to hyperspace tomorrow, again.

[Tamer]

Wow, looks pretty close to me. I swear this is what it is going to come too.

Time to go share this.

[Darth More]

Might be a question of when, but I wouldn't want toy companies to varnish...Spector Creative just uploaded his intel on this topic:

When will 3D printing be used to mass produce toys and action figure collectables? Tooling replaced?

[JDeck]

  I don't know what to think about 3d printing. Like I said it makes scratch building and modeling obsolete, which sucks. But on the other hand you can make just about anything you want. I don't think it'll replace figure companies, as far as mass production to the general public, but it does help with customizers that need a certain head or accessory. Like i need a mimbanese head, ive seen 6" heads but not 3.75. As much as I would almost rather sculpt it myself, it's not going to be exactly right. For me it's bittersweet. I'm not going to buy a 3d printer, I'll just do things oldschool or buy whatever printed thing on ebay.  To me 3d printing takes the fun out of building or sculpting.