Potential of 3d printing and Lego

[Mesabi]

Has anyone else thought about how the advent of 3d printing will affect Lego? If someone starts making their own plastic bricks via a 3d Printer, how is Lego going

to fare? The Quality of Lego could keep it afloat for a while, but if we could start making our own bricks, wouldn't that spell the end of the Lego group?

Am I being to apocalyptic with my thinking here, or is anyone else worried?

:pirate_skel1:

[anothergol]

Even if you were to reach the quality of a Lego part, it would be hard to beat the 10 cents/piece by printing it yourself, not even counting the printing time.

I think 3D printing is great for Lego itself, and they're probably already using that for prototypes.

[bonox]

based on technic parts that i've purchased from shapeways, the tolerances are much bigger than TLG injection moulded parts - consequently, the printed parts feel crap, have terrible colours and surface finish and sometimes require further work to make the parts usable.

I would imagine that asking the same things to achieve clutch behaviour like the factory parts would be exceedingly frustrating. I would think printed parts will continue to be accessories rather than usable interlocking parts for quite a while.

[terryfay1983]

I can't see TLG being too worried about someone taking hours to 3d print a couple of bricks.. The time + effort outweighs the end result. As said above tho..accessories now that's fine lol

[dr_spock]

I 3D printed some parts cheaply at the local public library. The fit and finish isn't all the great. Some sanding and shaving may be required. The material was PLC plastic. At first it had too much clutch power. Then it weakens over time.

3D printing of ABS plastic requires good ventilation. Inhaling VOCs and Ultra Fine Particles from 3D printing process is probably not all that good for you. Mass home 3D printing may not catch on once parents realize the dangers.

I see 3D printing good for one off custom parts or very small runs. For very large quantities, plastic injection molding is still the better process to go with.

[xboxtravis7992]

Yes 3D printing really only works for small custom batches. I know a lot of model railroaders are using 3D printing to make entire model shells; but they aren't printing the finer tuned details with it especially the functional wheel sets. But most of the things model railroaders are making are custom models based on small things that a big company would never dream of manufacturing... I think Lego 3D printing will go the same way, Lego fans can make custom parts with it, but the tolerances are so loose that they will not be making anything to replace basic bricks. Injection molding parts is still a far more accurate and cost effective method than 3D printing is.

[Junior Shark]

I think 3D printing is great for Lego itself, and they're probably already using that for prototypes.

Yep. Check out this TBB article: http://www.brothers-brick.com/2015/12/16/nexo-knights-prototypes-development-from-lego-designer-mark-stafford/#more-63652

[Cwetqo]

Last year we had workgroup over at ambassador forum, started and led by TLG staff (and myself), with some fairly important TLG people present at final presentation, so they do care. What they wanted to know is how AFOLs see 3printing, what are our main concernes and advantages. After what I saw there (report is confidential) it's my opinion that TLG is not afraid of 3d printing, they just want to be prepared for when it becomes more widely used. They do know a lot about it (they produce over 50.000 3d printed bricks each year) and know the limitations, but hey dont doubt that some time in the future, technology will "catch up" with traditional moulded bricks. Imagine service like "design by me", but with possibility to get your printed and delivered...

[MrHerofan]

Eventually technology will be able to theoretically catch up to getting the same quality as LEGO. Now will it happen in 10 years? More than likely not. But in 50-100 years it could definitely become a competition to LEGO. Imagine if a kid could make something on their computer, and then be able to print it. This would go beyond the building toy, because the kid can now make their own thing. For the foreseeable future, though there is not much to worry about.

[gotoAndLego]

There is no way printing at home will be cheaper than mass producing bricks in a factory. Are you really going to be able to match the colors exactly? People get tweaked about slight color variations in their bricks, imagine introducing even more variance in it. AFOLs already buy bricks when they feel they can create something better, but will still buy a set if they like its design. I doubt that is going to change. As suggested it will mostly be useful to make custom pieces.

Edited March 30, 2016 by gotoAndLego

[AmperZand]

Has anyone else thought about how the advent of 3d printing will affect Lego? If someone starts making their own plastic bricks via a 3d Printer, how is Lego going to fare? The Quality of Lego could keep it afloat for a while, but if we could start making our own bricks, wouldn't that spell the end of the Lego group?

There was a discussion of TLG's future some time ago here on the EB boards and I brought up the prospect of 3D printing. My thoughts then - and now - were that 3D printing would eventually allow home users or small local/online businesses to 3D print LEGO quality parts. It won't happen soon, but will happen in the long term.

I expect that many buyers will still want to buy their bricks from TLG anyway. I also imagine that TLG will sell CAD files of their sets so that home users and small businesses under licence can print official LEGO sets. It's not dissimilar to how some books are sold now. There are books you can buy as PDFs and print off yourself (or at a printer's) or buy the book in hard copy.