After weeks of hype and breathless anticipation, on April 28 the 3D printing community descended on Washington, DC for 3D/DC. 3D/DC was an opportunity to show policymakers here in town what is happening in the rapidly evolving world of 3D printing.
The event opened with a cross section of the industry participating on a panel entitled “Meet the Printers.” Panelists represented a broad spectrum of companies and groups connected to the 3D printing ecosystem, from publicly traded companies to academics. They discussed how they came to be where they are, and considered where the industry was going from here. It was an opportunity to show DC policymakers what is possible with 3D printing, and to highlight some of the potential challenges ahead.
The second panel was focused on some of the policy implications of 3D printing. It will come as no surprise to regular readers of this blog that a technology as fundamental and disruptive as 3D printing has the potential to touch on a large number of policy areas. In addition to intellectual property (including the possibility of creating new types of micro-patents), the panel discussed how to integrate 3D printing into existing education curriculums.
Finally, 3D/DC culminated in a demonstration of the technology that makes 3D printing possible. The foyer of the Rayburn House Office Building was filled with 3D printers giving DC folks a better understand of what they can do.
Want to see more? A photo gallery is available here. Video is coming soon.