3D printing has numerous benefits in industries ranging from health, automotive, crafts and hobbies, and many other industries. My previous article on 3D printing technology covers some of the many benefits that are made available with advances in 3D printing technology. This technology may even progress to the point of being able to print human organs for transplant purposes. Human tissue is only one of the many types of materials available for use in 3D printing. Some of the materials used in 3D printing include titanium, plastics, and synthetic resins, however many other materials could also be used.
As this technology becomes more affordable, the dark side of this technology could possibly emerge. If a user had the correct 3D files and the correct materials they could in theory produce illegal items ranging from small counterfeit goods to fully automatic weapons. 3D scanners are currently available that can create a 3D file from nearly any object ranging in size from less than 1" in size to as large as a full size car. NextEngine has a desktop 3D scanner that is priced at $2,995 and Creaform has a handheld 3D scanner on the market called Handyscan 3D. Z Corporation's 3D Systems also offers a line of 3D scanners and 3D printers. Online videos also demonstrate how to build a 3D scanner using a laser pointer, a webcam, computer software, and a few miscellaneous items.
The current cost of printing illegal weapons is likely to be significantly more expensive than purchasing them through other means; however as 3D printing technology advances and prices become more affordable it may become a problem in the future. 3D technology could potentially cause as much of a surge in counterfeit goods as computers, scanners, and printers did with counterfeit currency.
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