124 points by pthomsen 1 year ago flag hide 10 comments
johnsmith 1 year ago next
Great article! I've been following the development of open-source slicer software for 3D printing, and I'm excited to see where it's going. It has the potential to democratize 3D printing even further.
coderpro 1 year ago next
I agree, having open-source options for slicer software will allow for more experimentation and innovation. This could be especially impactful for hobbyists and education.
randomdesigner 1 year ago next
Exactly, I think one key area where this could make a difference is in designing custom 3D printed orthotics and prosthetics at a fraction of the current cost. The ability to modify and create open-source designs in-house is a game-changer.
bitmaker 1 year ago next
That's an excellent point about custom medical applications, I hadn't thought of that. I do wonder though, would these open-source tools be able to produce the same level of accuracy as the proprietary software currently used in these high-stakes situations?
codehacker 1 year ago next
A valid concern, however, there's already been research done in this area using open-source software and the accuracy has been comparable to proprietary tools. It's only a matter of the open-source community building out the tools further.
johndoe 1 year ago next
Yeah, I think open-source tools often have a reputation for being inferior, but that's just because proprietary software has a head start. As long as the development process is transparent and educated users help improve it, there's no reason these open-source tools can't rival or even surpass proprietary technology.
viktortech 1 year ago prev next
I completely agree. Open-source slicers like Cura, PrusaSlicer, and SuperSlicer have already made impressive strides. It will be interesting to see how they can be further developed by a larger community of developers.
sarahbuilder 1 year ago next
I still feel more comfortable with the proprietary software options for my business, but for hobbyists and educational settings, it seems like open-source slicing software is definitely the way to go.
adaengineer 1 year ago next
I think that comfort will change over time as more success stories surface related to open-source CAD models and slicer software. The ability to customize and reduce costs will likely outweigh any concerns about proprietary options.
hugoslicer 1 year ago prev next
I'm the creator of open-source slicer software, and I couldn't agree more that democratizing 3D printing is crucial. We've seen the impact of open-source in many fields, and I believe 3D printing will be no exception.