This is indeed a problem. Best 3D-printers can already produce jet engine grade components, although this technology is not yet available for the public. However it will be available some time in near future.
Actually jet engine companies such as Rolls-royce does pursue 3D-printing not because it is cheaper, but because it promises lighter and higher quality components for the jet engines, because the metal alloy produced is almost without structural flaws that are inherent for the traditional metal manufacturing techniques. I would think that only way to combat this problem is to eliminate poverty from the society. About 95% of the criminality is due to unjust distribution of wealth. This is not that individual humans would resort into criminality if they fail to find job due to high unemployment rates, but because children are crown in the conditions where no children should be allowed to live. Best way to eliminate poverty is to set zero income level for each individuals into 1000-2000 dollars per month. This can be done quite easily by distributing income more justly. When there is no scarcity of the basic needs, there won't be breeding grounds for violent gangs and violent larger scale religions, because every child will get a proper and free education. Therefore weapons of mass destruction that can be 3D-printed in near future, does not posses major thread for the security of the society. If we do not have injustice, then people do not have urge to print and use weapons of mass destruction. Of course there will be always some individual lunatics, but if there is no organised violence, there should not be too much problems that we cannot handle. I really mean weapons of mass destruction. Imagine 3D-printed fully working nuclear bomb that only requires after printing to add the plutonium that is stolen from the Russia, North Korea, Iran or Libya. Of course this just extreme. Almost any weapons that can be imagined can also be printed. And better yet, 3D-printing does allow completely new designs for the weapons that we cannot yet imagine! ―Jouni Ps. I would not think that there could be less off topic post than this! On Oct 2, 2012, at 11:31 PM, Jed Rothwell <[email protected]> wrote: > Yikes! Didn't think of this . . . > > See: > > http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2012/10/02/_3d_printed_gun_wiki_weapon_on_hold_after_stratasys_revokes_lease_on_printer.html > > Every technology, no matter how good, can be used in harmful ways. > > - Jed >
