Royal Mail Gets Into 3D Printing

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http://cdn.psfk.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Royal-Mail-3D-Printing.jpgThis year’s emerging most influential emerging technology award could well belong to 3D printing. Here at PSFK, we’ve reported again and again (and again) on significant, interesting and beautiful developments in that industry over the past few months alone. Only one thing stands in its way as a world-changing trend: end user adoption.

Because of the price for printers and the CAD software that drives them, individual homes still don’t include a 3D printer along with their inkjet, modem and gaming console. A recently announced partnership between the United Kingdom’s national postal service — the Royal Mail — and 3D printing specialist iMakr may begin to change that.

The partnership won’t put a printer in every home, but it could give easy access to 3D printing to most of the UK’s population. The scheme will put 3D printing services in delivery offices nationwide, the way some post office shops have a copy machine and fax available. Royal Mail plans to pilot the program in central London’s New Cavendish St delivery office, and to expand it as demand and success dictate. Royal Mail’s website already has a variety of digitally-printed knickknacks available for order as part of the initiative.

Such a roll-out could put access to 3D printing in the hands of people who haven’t yet been able to enjoy the possibilities of this emerging technology. It could be especially valuable to crafters and makers who want to prototype designs before attempting a crowdfunding campaign, or even as manufacturing for small-run products. With the program still in that limbo zone between announcement and implementation, we’ll have to wait and see how it works out.




3D Printed Products

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