How do you think 3d Printers will effect the toy/statue industry?

[clockwork463]

It's still a long ways off but seeing some 3d printed statue's make it seem like when high quality 3d printers are common and cheap, it could completely destroy companys like sideshow.

At this point I haven't seen
a 3d printed statue thats close to matching the quality of some of the better statues released, but eventually I think the technology will get good enough to print statues as good as sideshows comiquettes, even the paint apps.

https://kotaku.com/5914454/meet-the-best-halo-figure-ive-ever-seen-and-it-was-made-by-magic

Imagine being able to print out an exact replica of a spiderman comiquette!
It would be a bootleg, but if it really was identical other wise I'm not sure how much I would mind.

 

[darthviper107]

Sideshow already uses those services, not everything is sculpted by hand and in cases where they don't need that many copies made it's cheaper (as far as doing casts rather than expensive toolings). For instance, this is a 3D print:

 

[clockwork463]

Sideshow already uses those services, not everything is sculpted by hand and in cases where they don't need that many copies made it's cheaper (as far as doing casts rather than expensive toolings). For instance, this is a 3D print:

I had no idea, makes the price seem that much more unwarranted. Still the fig looks really cool.

 

[Bodie The Cursed]

How does one work?.. does it act like a cnc machine on a slab of product?

 

[CTO15]

How does one work?.. does it act like a cnc machine on a slab of product?

Its more like additive machining

So a material is added layer by layer until an object is formed.

 

[hoodonit00]

I seen one where they made a fully functioning adjustable wrench. They didn't make all the parts and you had to assemble it. It came out all assembled. Fantastic technology.

 

[darthviper107]

I had no idea, makes the price seem that much more unwarranted. Still the fig looks really cool.

Why would it have an effect on the price?

I seen one where they made a fully functioning adjustable wrench. They didn't make all the parts and you had to assemble it. It came out all assembled. Fantastic technology.

It's very cool, the most expensive printers print two materials at once--the plastic for the actual object, and then some kind of support material which is usually wax. Any object can be printed with those types of printers so once it's done they just dissolve the wax. It means you can make objects that are impossible to make any other way. Though if you're designing for production (like Sideshow) you'd still have to design the parts so that castings could be made.

 

[clockwork463]

Why would it have an effect on the price?



It's very cool, the most expensive printers print two materials at once--the plastic for the actual object, and then some kind of support material which is usually wax. Any object can be printed with those types of printers so once it's done they just dissolve the wax. It means you can make objects that are impossible to make any other way. Though if you're designing for production (like Sideshow) you'd still have to design the parts so that castings could be made.

If the sculpt is being digitally printed it seems like it would cost less to produce ,but apparently the price is dictated by how "cool" something looks. As long as people will pay for it sideshow will keep increasing their prices.

I don't know what kind of resources it takes to produce a figure like raynor though.

 

[darthviper107]

Making the 3D print isn't really cheaper, you'd pay the same to a digital sculptor as you would someone who sculpts with clay. But it's much easier to make changes to a 3D model than it is to change a clay sculpt, and you can much more easily make prototypes. And of course with things like Transformers or the Starcraft marine there they can use the official 3D files.

 

[MatchaJelly]

I can't wait to buy my own 3D printer.

I think a lot of companies already used this type tool already. My ex Art Lead used to work at a big toy company and they developed their own 3D tool years ago, they just rarely used it because the process and materials was expensive, so they usually have it sculpted overseas and have it shipped at their headquarters.

As for companies, I don't think they would lose money. There will be still people who prefer items that are hand sculpted versus machine made however.

It's like Super Dollfies, sure they cost 500$ if its sculpted by X Person at Volks. However, I've also purchased another doll similar style and material by an artist in South Korea who uses 3D tools to sculpt and "print" dolls at 300$.

 

[clockwork463]

Making the 3D print isn't really cheaper, you'd pay the same to a digital sculptor as you would someone who sculpts with clay. But it's much easier to make changes to a 3D model than it is to change a clay sculpt, and you can much more easily make prototypes. And of course with things like Transformers or the Starcraft marine there they can use the official 3D files.

I guess I just think its a bit overpriced, Its a very nice figure and hefty but 500 + shipping for a 1/6 figure seems like pushing it. I remember paying around 285 shipped for a uruk hai berserker pf in 2009, my venom comiquette was about the same price, so was the diablo barbarian.


It seems a bit too much especially since it's being sculpted digitally . There all mass produced but knowing the mold was sculpted by hand makes it seem more significant imo, even if it isn't really.

 

[darthviper107]

Stuff like that can take just as much time to make in the computer as it does to sculpt clay, especially for actual sculpts where digital sculpting is extremely similar to real sculpting.
The reason that one is so expensive is that it has so many parts, it makes it a very difficult item to manufacture, compared to statues that might have only a few separate pieces and that one has over 500 parts.

 

[vodoun]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGCtmezO7Ck[/ame]

 

[clockwork463]

Stuff like that can take just as much time to make in the computer as it does to sculpt clay, especially for actual sculpts where digital sculpting is extremely similar to real sculpting.
The reason that one is so expensive is that it has so many parts, it makes it a very difficult item to manufacture, compared to statues that might have only a few separate pieces and that one has over 500 parts.

500 parts That's pretty cool.

It still seems inflated regardless, sideshow has all around increased their prices despite any increased complexity in most of their pf's or figures. It's fine for them to dictate their prices but i'm guessing had this been released in 2009 it would have been 300 maximum, or maybe it would have been too much of a gamble to produce with it's cost.

I might end up picking it up, it'll probably skyrocket in the second market, atleast tychus anyway, he is a much better representation imo; and if their doing this they should do gears of war, that would be great.