View Single Post
Old 09-07-2017, 10:56 AM   #17
Anthony
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
Default Re: How hard is it to acquire raw materials for 3D printing?

Quote:
Originally Posted by vicky_molokh View Post
I have to say that this is one of those time when I get the feeling that the radical-hard-SF Transhuman Space TL is being dragged back down to safetech/less-radical assumptions of microtech on the forum.
THS has an inherent conflict between the fluff text (radical) and the specified future history (less radical). Given that THS does not have exponential wealth increases, 3D printers must have some inherent limits to what they can produce, and the easiest one is feedstock.

As far as electronics go, I assume that 3D printers are not capable of producing electronics directly -- rather, feedstock includes microelectronics that can be combined to form larger systems (this implies that THS electronics are massively parallel systems -- the electronics in feedstock are the equivalent of programmable neurons. Given the rest of THS technology, this is fairly believable).
__________________
My GURPS site and Blog.

Last edited by Anthony; 09-07-2017 at 11:01 AM.
Anthony is offline   Reply With Quote