In the 80s Married with Children made fun of the fact that households buy computers although there's no reason anyone needs a computer at home. In Jan of 2013, the Big Ban Theory did the same joke about 3D printing.
http://bit.ly/3DPrtg

Amazing stuff. Great post. 3D printing today is where personal computers in the 1970s. Even that comparison maybe generous.
Get ready for a paradym shift in in manufacturing.

Thank you, freedomforall.

Well stated, jb. A fair representation of my point of view, too.

In Babylon 5, one of your favorite TV shows as I remember, such people were called technomages.

"We are dreamers, shapers, singers, and makers. We study the mysteries of laser and circuit, crystal and scanner, holographic demons and invocations of equations. These are the tools we employ, and we know many things."
Elric, The Geometry of Shadows, Babylon 5
http://scv.bu.edu/~aarondf/b5quotes.html...

I have always considered John Galt a technomage.
Notice at the end of the next Youtube video that the technomages are going away, much like John Galt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjToVZTq...

If anyone wants to understand where I stand on the origin of the universe, or the presence of one or more beings of higher intelligence capable of inventing the universe, you should watch the above Youtube video.

I know that several of us and I have had our discussions about the presence of a deity. This Babylon 5 video hopefully clarifies my position. We as humans are not capable of inventing the universe (at least not yet), but someone before us was. I am not saying that such an entity is to be worshiped, but rather just acknowledged for the amazing creation we live in. As the video states, 1000 years ago, much of what we take for granted would have looked like magic.

Neither do I ascribe omniscience or omnipotence to such a creative entity, but I do acknowledge great power, wisdom, and intelligence, just not necessarily completeness or perfection.

I am but a mere apprentice, but am pursuing technomage status.

Agree completely, jb. That's why I omitted that part of the title of the article. According to Arthur C Clark, "Significantly advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." This is interesting (cool!) tech but not that advanced today.

It's not magic. It is chemical engineering's approach toward scaling up 3D printing to faster speeds and higher throughput.