[MUSIC] >> Welcome to The 3D Printing Revolution. This first course in our
3D printing specialization will provide an overview
of what 3D printing is and why so many people believe that it
will revolutionize our economy. [MUSIC] My name is Eric Rindfleisch. I'm a John M Jones Professor of
Marketing at the University of Illinois. I'm also the co-founder and Executive
Director of the Illinois MakerLab. The world's first 3D printing
lab in the business school. I built my first 3D printer in 2010 and
have been actively engaged in 3D printing, education and research since that time. These experiences have convinced me
that 3D printing is a revolutionary technology that will dramatically
change our economy by allowing individuals to turn
their ideas into objects. Like most people,
you've probably heard about 3D printing, but not really sure what 3D printing is or
why it matters to you. This course will help answer these
questions by demonstrating how 3D printers work, show you what type of things
they can make and how you can benefit, both as a consumer, but also as
a creator from this new technology. This short course consists of two modules. In our first module, week one,
we'll discuss 3D printing. >> I think 3D printing is very accessible,
very easy to understand how to use and the best part about it is there's not
a lot of prior knowledge that you need, because it's additively
building the parts. >> We've seen 3D printing being
used differently than maybe we did two years ago. Where before,
it was pure prototyping we're seeing now with material science advances, attempts
that attacking real large problems. >> So when we looked around and said,
what are the critical technologies that we're going to need to be able to help
our clients understand for the future? Additive manufacturing 3D
printing was clearly one of them. >> This module provided an overview
of the 3D printing ecosystem, including as hardware,
software and materials and it provided an actual demonstration of the
3D printing process from start to finish. In our second module, week two,
we'll examine the revolution. >> You're taking something that's really
always been very inaccessible and it is accessible. I mean, it's not easy yet, but we can
very easily see that it will be easy. And that's a game changer, because that's
going to let you build a manufacturing infrastructure that's going to look very,
very different than what we have now. >> Now, we're seeing software developers
connecting with the manufacturing process and making the software tools. Autodesk is a great example of this. They have their Pier 9 facility and
they're working with designers, and incorporating that, and we like to think we're doing
the same thing with our processes. We share our pilot materials and programs
with our community and take that feedback and try to improve to make it ideal for
how people really are using this. >> Right now, most 3D printers print
in relatively passive materials as the technology expands to
printing in active materials. Materials that conduct electricity. Materials that can sense, can move,
can compute, can store power. If you can print in a dozen
base materials simultaneously, the combinations of those materials
that you can use to create objects in 3D that will be called metamaterials
is far greater than just 12 and it's a power of 12, and that's in
the exponential nature of this technology. >> In this course, we take a look at
3D printing's revolutionary potential across a variety of industries, including
fashion, retailing and manufacturing. And also, take a look at cutting edge
developments in 3D printing technology. For example, both of these topics using
a variety of learning approaches, including readings, video lectures,
hands on exercises and interviews. The variety of key players in the 3D
printing domain from both industry and also academia. By engaging in these various
learning activities, you'll increase your appreciation for
what 3D printing is and how it's going to
revolutionize our economy. First, 3D printing is a new, low-cost, desktop technology that can
be used by just about anyone. Second, this technology allows us to
easily turn our ideas into objects and gives consumers the power to be creators. Third, 3D printing also blurs the divide
between the physical and the digital and makes it easy to remix and
customize physical objects. Fourth, by changing both the roles of
consumers and the nature of objects, 3D printing will revolutionize our
economy and change the way we live. Finally, this course will
provide a firm foundation for the remaining courses
in our specialization. And hopefully, will capture interest
in learning more about 3D printing by enrolling in these courses. Are you ready to be apart of this new and
exciting revolution? Great, lets begin. [MUSIC]