PREMIUM
22 March 2023
3D printers: What can you print and should you buy one?
Are 3D printers worth it?
We take a look at in-home 3D printing, how easy is it, what can you print and can you use it to repair and augment products?
Imagine being able to choose a product or object and have it magically appear out of a box on your desk. The stuff of science fiction movies, right? Well not any more, with the advent of home 3D printers.
While you can’t yet print a fully working product, you’d be surprised at the range of stuff you can create with minimal effort. Also, you might be surprised how cheap these printers are now.
We decided to find out what was possible and how easy it is for your average person to take themselves into another dimension.
What is 3D printing?
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Why would I want a 3D printer?
Our trial
Where do I find files and how do I print?
My prints
Augment your reality
Repair jobs
Where do we go from here?
Sign our repairability label petition
Tell the government to mandate a repairability label and help New Zealanders buy better products and combat the mounting e-waste problem.
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