Watching the host of new start-up companies
emerge around 3D printing draws conflicting reactions from me, I find. It is,
of course, primarily gratifying to see the technologies blossom and evolve,
appreciated as they are by a much wider user base and audience than ever
before. And yet, at times, it’s disheartening too. The inevitability of
individuals and corporations pouncing on the tech is a given, but you’d think a
little common sense, a degree of research, some background checking maybe,
would go a long way in determining success. Apparently not — some (probably a
minority of) companies seem to think that using 3D printing terminology fused
with some superior (not in a good way) marketing speak will do just fine!
I generally like to keep things up beat,
but that’s not always possible. I’ll deviate from the happy when necessary and
today it is necessary.
What’s prompted this post ….. well, let me
tell you!
As the stream of press releases and
requests for coverage on 3DPI come in from the host of newbies, it
is often hard to differentiate between the often similar business models. This,
I should add, does not make them unviable per se, it just means they’re
fighting for business in a crowd — a big, and growing, crowd.
With the majority there is nothing wrong,
and as an Editor I do try to be fair and bring the range of products and
services in front of 3DPI’s growing audience as objectively as possible. Where
objectivity breaks down, it is usually replaced by exuberance — the team of
writers we’re building there are loving the tech and the apps. For the new 3DP
start-ups media coverage is essential to help them on their way — they may
succeed, they may not. The hard work needed for success is down to them, but if
I can help, I will. That’s just the way I am.
However!!!
Sometimes, something lands in my in-box and
warning bells go off — and by bells, I mean super sirens.
That’s what happened a couple of days ago
when I received a communication from MyO3D.
The marketing ‘bumpf’ (that’s a Rachel word
but suitable here) around the core message — another design repository — hailed
the first ding dong. It was trying way too hard. But when I read the following,
that’s when the sirens went off big time:
"Some
may recall the sheer size of the first computers, taking up entire rooms and
possessing less power than the phone in your pocket. A similar evolution
has been seen in 3D printing; the huge, strictly industrial printers with
limited uses [My emphasis] may as
well be dinosaurs compared to the compact 3D printers of today, with some
being even cheaper than high-end desktop and laptop computers.”
I
mean, REALLY???
This
just smacks of little to no real knowledge and/or understanding of the industry
that they are seeking to operate in. However, me being me, I wanted other
opinions, back up if you like. So I sent the quote and link to some of my go-to
guys. It seems I hadn’t over-reacted.
This
is the order the following came back to me:
“Anyone
who compares the perceived capabilities of consumer 3D printers and
professional 3D printers in this way has simply no business writing on the
subject. Absolute drivel.”
Phil Reeves, Managing Director, Econolyst.
“I
have sneezed on my keyboard and accidentally produced better websites and
concepts than that - it's about as hollow as most 3D printed objects.”
Richard
Horne, aka RichRap3D
“Ok so the dinosaur
analogy is obviously complete rubbish. A more accurate comparison would be to say that
industrial machines are cars and cheap compact 3D printers are soap box go
karts. Yes cars are more expensive and yes they are bigger but in terms of
functionality they leave the go karts behind in every sense of the word.
The author of this thing obviously knows little
about the technology and understands less than that. The idea behind the site
is yet another way of making money off the efforts of others while contributing
little. I’m sure it will be used by some idiots who would quite frankly be
better off spending their money on skin cream and deodorant rather than paying
for files of chess sets and business card holders with moving parts.”
Jeremy Pullin, Renishaw
The inevitability of business “bandwagonism” and
the urge to make fast/big bucks is a story as old as time, but it doesn’t make
it any less sad ….. or disappointing. This is not the first case, and it most
certainly, unfortunately won’t be the last either.
FYI, I did send a reply to MyO3D, challenging this
comment and inviting a response. I’ve had no reply.