3D Printing is going to have numerous challenges for humanity to face as it becomes more and more mainstream...
A 3D printer in every home?
- The first virus that prints dangerous / obscene objects
- The toy industry facing the same challenges are MPAA/RIAA
- Printable lenses for eye glasses, contacts, cameras
- Printing keys for any lock
- Printable press plates for counterfeiting currency
- etc.
Printable lenses seem like a good thing. I don't think the others are serious concerns:
An object that is dangerous just sitting inside a 3D printer seems unlikely in the near future. It would be very difficult to print something that has stored mechanical or chemical energy. Even printing something that's sharp would be a challenge. Obscene objects are not really more problematic than subjecting unwilling viewers to on-screen pornography.
The toy industry exploits peer pressure in children to make parents buy overpriced junk. It deserves to be disrupted.
Printing keys is not likely to be a significant attack vector. Most keyed locks can be easily defeated with picks or bump keys, and new keys require only a file to manufacture today. A grinder or Dremel tool makes it as quick as a 3D printer would be. Getting a good image of the key to be copied is a bigger challenge than being able to make a new key of any shape.
Printing plates are not the most significant barrier to counterfeiting modern banknotes. Other security features are harder to duplicate, and a 3D printer is unlikely to help.
I can't comment on lenses for eyewear, but lenses for cameras is significantly more complex. High end camera lenses use a diverse range of glass through methods such as doping, are polished and have complex anti reflective coatings applied.
A modern lens may have a large very strong front element, with a series of smaller fragile elements behind it. Each lens may have a different anti-reflective coating applied.
You may be able to 3D print a lens, but at least for high end cameras this technology is going to have very little impact.
A 3D printer in every home?