3D printing will not replace model companies for a couple of reasons - not the least of which is TIME. I would love to be a 3D modeling guru, and thus be able to print my own created parts. But the simple fact of life is I need to eat, pay my mortgage, taxes, etc. etc. I don't have the time it takes to get proficient enough with the tech to do it... Hell I barely have time to complete kits.
I suspect that I'm not alone. Call me lazy if you like, BUT I doubt I'm alone and in fact am probably in the serious majority of folks. the time and effort that it takes to research and print your own "kits" even if you assume somebody did all of the 3D design work for you is a TON.
Maybe in 100 years when this tech is old - school and people learn how to use it as children and there are libraries of 3D models neatly sorted and indexed it MIGHT be a viable thing. but I seriously doubt any of us will see it.
As cool as it would be :cheers
cool
What I can see is 3D printing making THIS side of the hobby a LOT more prolific. Hard to find/scratch parts can be modeled and made available MUCH easier then ever before opening the door to a TON of subjects that would be ridiculously hard in the past.
I think we've already seen that. I remember when we'd all talk and research a subject for a couple of years before we had sub assemblies of items that were "close"... How long until we had a near perfect r2 strip from the time a handful of people started researching the x-wings??? A friggin' long time I can tell you. newcomers to this hobby often don't realize how it used to be... I know I'm sounding like the guy who walked to school barefoot in 2 feet of snow both ways...
Anyway I think it makes OUR hobby much better/easier but replacing the traditional model kit - not for a very long time.
Jedi Dade