If you’ve been wondering about the Maker movement in the 3D printing world, especially the what and why of it, here’s an interesting article from the Economist.  Some of the big “take aways” from this piece include:

“The maker movement is worth watching.” Noted the Economist: The parallel with the hobbyist computer movement of the 1970s is striking. In both cases enthusiastic tinkerers, many on America’s West Coast, began playing with new technologies that had huge potential to disrupt business and society. Back then the machines manipulated bits; now the action is in atoms. This has prompted predictions of a new industrial revolution, in which more manufacturing is done by small firms or even by individuals.”

A Maker faire was held in Cairo!!! this year. This movement has gone global.

Products that are inexpensive and easy to use have a market, especially now and in this economy. MakerBots, RapMans, etc, are inexpensive and easy to use.  They may not have the accuracies and materials for more industrial projects, but that could change.

“The ease with which designs for physical things can be shared digitally goes a long way towards explaining why the maker movement has already developed a strong culture…” I’m not sure I get this “sharing” idea, other than as a way to help each other develop skills, but sharing is huge in the Maker community.

Some of the new business models in this field have received impressive amounts of venture capital.  That alone is an interesting development. In recent months Quirky raised $16m, MakerBot raised $10m and Shapeways, a firm that offers a 3D-printing service, received $5m.

Should the major companies in the AM market participate?  The Maker Faire in New York was sponsored by technology companies including HP and Cognizant. Autodesk, which makes computer-aided design software, bought Instructables in August.