Apple's new patent suggests an "Apple 3D Maker" could be in the works

While most patents acquired by the Cupertino tech giant are unique to concept and prototyping of mobile and desktop computing devices, such as iPhones, iPads and MacBooks, a most recent application, filed early this month, offers an interesting insight into the possibility that Apple may be working on creating a most unique type of 3D printer, capable of printing objects in different colors, using either a mix of different filaments, or a post-produced painting procedure involving paint or ink.

What’s most unique about this design, is that it doesn’t involve simple a disconnected range of features or concepts, reusable across different products, such as MacBooks or iPads. Instead, this is patent is specific to a concept relevant to 3D printers, which leaves little to the imagination, as it’s definitely in the cards that Apple has an interest in developing consumer-facing 3D printers in the future.

In this regard, Apple may also be giving itself a bit of head start, considering the number of hurdles to factor in, pertaining to the economics of owning and operating a 3D printers, from a consumer standpoint.

While the cost of 3D printers is decreasing overtime, the cost of materials and basic maintenance of a 3D printer is definitely not on par with the cost of servicing and maintaining a regular laser printer. By this token, Apple will have to invest considerably into making the technology, not only affordable, but also economically sustainable for users, assuming that, as for every other Apple product, the intent is that of making it accessible and attractive, under every point of view, to consumers.

One of the important aspect to consider is also speed of execution. Currently, 3D printing is still not an extremely fast manufacturing method, however, some formidable advances are on the horizon, with one specific example brought up by Popular Science, featuring a new “Fast 3D Printing” method, that allows to print a finished model, in minutes instead of hours.

The oddity of the procedure involved printing an object upside-down, from a liquid bath made of printing material. Seeing these printers at work is quite fascinating, and it’s easy to see how it wouln’t be too hard for Apple to not only build a similar device, but also design it with the typical slick, minimalist allure of other Apple products. A video of one of these high-speed “upside-down printers at work can be found here: http://popularscience.tv/feature/fast-3d-printing.html