TIL Chuck Hill invented 3D printing

[dmckee101]

While reading an article in Mechanical Engineering, I read that Chuck Hull invented 3D printing, also later learned that he is executive vice president and chief technology officer at 3D Systems.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/13/tech/innovation/the-night-i-invented-3d-printing-chuck-hall/

 

[dmckee101]

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[JST]

he seems to be a co-founder of 3DS.....

Looks like I was using 3Dprinting within 4 years or so of the invention. I did not at the time really know how long it had been around. But it surely was expensive then, we got small 1 or 2 inch sections of extrusions done for purposes of demonstration and checking. Also some protos of small molded items.

I had just recently run across some of the pieces when going through old stuff. I don't recall what system these were done on.

2 printed parts, and one first sample extrusion of the profile..... they sure had to improve THAT....

Circa 1987-1990

 

[bigseb]

Great interview. Comes across a lot more passionate about innovation than some of the suits from 3D Systems.

 

[cdub]

I find it odd that the Maker community is trying to rebrand him as some sort of pioneer or hero. I think his story is the worst case scenario failure of IP law as a whole.

3DS had a 25 year head start on a 2 billion dollar a year industry, but they were so myopic about their business they completely squandered it, never being more than a few hundred million dollar a year company. They had lighting in a bottle, but were unable or unwilling to sell it to anyone at a price where they could actually make money from it themselves.

So instead, all of society had to wait 25 years for the patents to expire before the community at large could finally derive benefit from the technology.

I'm in favor of IP law and patents in general. To me this is a glaring edge case where the assumption that the folks that have the patent know enough to maximize it and exploit it to its fullest potential broke down. Chuck Hull and 3D Systems should be examined as a warning to others, not as some kind of hero.