The nearest 3D print is overwhelmed. The industry has been expected to create $ 3.1 billion in market value in the next four years, but many people don't know what drives 3D printing rapidly, what is it? What is the expensive 3D print system (machine) price becomes low? In fact, the key is only one --- Open source hardware Arduino behind it.
From the web to big data, open source software has been playing the role of subversive technology, and now open source hardware is coming.
1. What is open source hardware?
Open source hardware as an attachment or equipment, allowing anyone to check, copy and modify hardware according to its own will, but because of its intellectual property, you can download a specification, or buy it from the manufacturer. And pay a small part of the assembly fee. Simply, under the premise of meeting basic needs, it replaces the original expensive 3D printing machine.
According to industry analysis from TERRY WOHLERS, 3D printing (3D manufacturing) as of 2016, creating $ 3.1 billion in industrial value, as of 2020, creating $ 5.2 billion in industrial value, but let this industry revolution success is just A small, Italian open source microcontroller: Arduino.
2. What is Arduino?
History: Arduino has been developed by 5 international engineers, which are Massimo Banzi, Gianluca Martino (Italy); David Cuartielles (Spain); David Mellis, Tom Igoe (USA). Arduino has just begun to promote the development of the Italian Evili Interactive Design Institute, which is designed to help students have output the input data prototype. (It can be understood as the current 3D printing principle: convert a design item to 3D data, then print a layer-by-layer. One piece is printed, and then superimpose to become a three-dimensional object.)
Principle: Arduino is an open hardware platform, including an easy-to-use I / O board, as well as an Eclipse-based software development environment. Arduino can be used to develop independently operable, interactive electronic supplies, or can also develop peripheral devices connected to the PC, and communicate with software on the PC while operating (such as flash, max / msp, Director) , Processing, etc.).
advantage:
1. Low cost: It can build a cheap Arduino board from the beginning, and the pre-assembled components are very cheap. Arduino Diecimila spends about $ 35.
2. Cross-platform software: ARDUINO software applied to Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
3. Simple language: Arduino developers try to make the language can be easily mastered by beginners, but for senior users flexible.
4. Open source: Arduino is entirely open from top to bottom. You can execute freely if you need to build or modify the software.
(The latest version of the motherboard is:
Because when this team developed Arduino, there was no 5 years to learn electrical engineering, but a month, so it is destined to make as simple as possible, as far as possible. So the hardware of Arduino is completely open source, its design document and specifications, control software, documentation (creative public) are also open source. The only place for Arduino pays is the name of the trademark, which is of course necessary.
Because Arduino's open source nature, microcontroller template can be found in many hardware devices: 3D printers, toys, project equipment developed by Arduino to develop project devices.
3. How does open source hardware push 3D printing rapid expansion?
Because Arduino allows production of 3D products to be fast and cheap, the entire manufacturing process is greatly simplified. For the entire 3D print industry, because there is ARDUINO and other trailing open source technologies, 3D printing is more common, the economy is less required, and the recombination cost is close to zero. This is completely in line with economists, called "Industrial Revolution": equipment or instruments can be produced under small space, low overhead, low labor requirements.
Our other product:
