3DPrinting

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3DPrinting is a place where makers of all skill levels and walks of life can learn about and discuss 3D printing and development of 3D printed parts and devices.

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The Enshittification of 3D Printers – Are We Losing What Made Them Great? (discuss.tchncs.de)

submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I’ve been noticing an unsettling trend in the 3D printing world: more and more printer manufacturers are locking down their devices with proprietary firmware, cloud-based software, and other anti-consumer restrictions. Despite this, they still receive glowing reviews, even from tech-savvy communities.

Back in the day, 3D printing was all about open-source hardware, modding, and user control. Now, it feels like we’re heading towards the same path as smartphones and other consumer tech—walled gardens, forced online accounts, and limited third-party compatibility. Some companies even prevent users from using alternative slicers or modifying firmware without jumping through hoops.

My question is: Has 3D printing gone too mainstream? Are newer users simply unaware (or uninterested) in the dangers of locked-down ecosystems? Have we lost the awareness of FOSS (Free and Open-Source Software) and user freedom that once defined this space?

I’d love to hear thoughts from the community. Do you think this is just a phase, or are we stuck on this trajectory? What can we do to push back against enshitification before it’s too late?

(Transparency Note: I wrote this text myself, but since English is not my first language, I used LLM to refine some formulations. The core content and ideas are entirely my own.)

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (2 children)

This. The proprietary 3d printers arent the "enshitification" of 3d printers, they're what's finally going to make them go "mainstream".

Tech people need to remember how deep into these hobbies we really are, especially compared to "normies".

Its like with computers, people go "oh well you can get a better bang for your buck on your memory by not going with apple!". Which sounds great and everything until you remember that people don't know what memory is or what it does, let alone how to buy new memory, or how to disassemble a computer, or where the memory goes, or even why more memory can be good for you.

I compare it to fabric crafts because I don't know shit about them. I know (well, think) fabric is sold in bolts and that's about it. Hell I don't even know how much a bolt is, and we haven't even gotten to the different types of fabrics or ways to utilize them.

The vast majority of people don't want a 3d printer hobby, they just want to 3d print stuff. And the Bambu printers are as close to that as I've seen so far.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

The vast majority of people don't want a 3d printer hobby, they just want to 3d print stuff

Exactly, I like to design things and be able to manufacture them at home. I have absolutely no interest in thinkering with hardware (especially dangerous one like a 3D printer)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago

Incoming fabric nerd. Bolts are like the spool when you buy filament, they come in different styles, but its typically just a bit of cardboard the fabric is wrapped around for storage. Fabric is typically sold by the linear yard, and if you buy a full bolt, they tell you how many yards of fabric it has on it. Common sizes are 12yd bolts, 24yd bolts, and 30yd bolts.