Before I continue with this argument, I just want to state the fact that I am completely against 3D printers being regulated by the government; however, there are some valid arguments that they should be banned. 3D printers, as most of you know, are just machines that print three dimensional objects using powdered polymers. To most people that seems really cool; and in fact, it is not even prohibitively expensive. Times have changed from when 3D printing cost a couple thousands of dollars to create one object; now it is possible to own one’s own personal 3D printer and create objects beyond your wildest imaginations in the comfort of your home. Currently, the cheapest 3D printer can be bought for $100 from the kickstarter site. With such a printer, the world is your oyster; some fear that if the wrong people had 3D printers, devastating things could happen.
First of all 3D printers could be used to create weapons. Imagine all of the different weapons that have been created since the beginning of time. It includes things like the knife, the sword, the katana, the axe, the javelin, the gun…( you get my point). Many of those weapons can be fabricated through the 3D printer; if the correct polymer is used, those plastic objects could even be deadly enough to be used in crimes of atrocious nature. It is even possible to build a working gun with a 3D printer! Weapons made in such a fashion would not be made of metal, and would thus be harder to detect by security measures.
Another thing the government is worried about is a 3D printer’s influence on piracy. Although they are now in the early stages of infancy, in the future, 3D printing may not only be limited to polymers; if any material could be used and processed by such a printer, more outrageous things could be manufactured. Imagine if the blue print of the Nintendo Wii leaked itself onto the internet; with a 3D printer that could process any material, you could see thousands of knockoffs within the first month; dealers would have serious problems, and this would affect not only the customers, but also the economy.
In reality, what are the downsides of regulating 3D printers? No one really uses it yet because it is still too expensive. Why not just regulate it early before they do cause real damage? No one wants to hear on the news that weapons can be created in your own home – or your neighbours’. That piece of news could cause panic; empty blame and threats would plague the government. Why should we deal with all of that when simple regulations and rules can created?. It would do no harm, and possibly prevent much damage.
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