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I was reading a post over at https://devrant.com/rants/2262140/...

..and on the topic of using 3d printers to print a 3d printer, I wrote that has gotta be some sort of measure or ratio of "manufacturing automation."

Sort of like moores law or something.

"How many tools and materials does it now take to replicate THIS ONE TOOL."

Tools & Materials = 1/N

When we get to 1/N = 1.0, anyone can manufacture anything (commonly available) if they have the raw, or standardized materials, even other tools, up to and including the tool they are using to do the manufacturing itself.

I mean an apocalypse could happen, and as long as just ONE of these 'universal tool making tools' (lets call it an omega machine) exists, we can have *all* the tools and manufacturing necessary to rebuild civilization.

A universal manufacturing 'multitool' means, the only hard requirements for restarting civilization no longer rely on specialized knowledge as far as tools go:

- still need arable land after civilization is gone so when it's coming back, people can feed themselves
- still need people to operate the machine, even if its just one man, or a literal adam and eve (nevermind all the incest).
- still need knowledge to operate the machine, such as an operating manual (and literacy), or knowing say, voice commands.
- assuming it doesn't run on nonrenewable resources, or resources that can't be recycled or replaced..or resources that won't run out for a very long time.

But these are all problems we'd face even without a universal manufacturing machine.

Comments
  • 4
    They are now designing cell DNA on a computer and booting cells. So on the biological level we are close to developing biological machines as well. So it could be a cyborg approach on the universal machine.

    It also makes you wonder about alien intervention such as placing or upgrading existing biological systems. If WE can make new life, an advanced civilization could as well.
  • 3
    @Demolishun

    I mean you're not wrong. Genetic research in particles makes rogue nations and biological weapons a more feasible apocalypse than say nuclear war.

    It's exciting frontiers but some scary shit too!
  • 1
    3D printing will be everything.
  • 0
    @Wisecrack

    in particular*, not 'particles' herpaderp.
  • 2
    @Root

    Yep. I suspect it's going to be a lot of things.

    Shit will take off when an average user can make their own sex toys.

    Owning a 3d printer will be as common as owning a dragon dildo by college students who spend way too much time on instaslut.
  • 2
  • 2
    @Wisecrack @Root "Computer, three dragon dildos for my friends and I, please."
  • 2
    From my perspective all humans should focus on plants.

    It’s so underrated. Trees live for hundreds or thousands of years and nobody cares.

    The fact that we can’t get natural permanent flowering plants and we’re thinking about space is just dumb.

    We think about other planets but can’t make artificially living leaf that could be mass produced and remove co2 problems or even bring us closer to mars.

    In plants we have permanent energy, life source that we ignore.

    Sure there are recent studies in algae reactors but it’s just not enough.
  • 1
    @vane

    Vane. You make an absolutely astounding point.

    The common 'leaf' (the green things on trees, and not the nickname for canadians) is really a bit of a miracle of evolution and 'biotechnology' as it were.

    "Sure there are recent studies in algae reactors but it’s just not enough."

    It's not enough but it's a modest start I think.
  • 1
    Get yourself a fucking lathe.

    Not a 3D fucking printer

    a lathe
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