14 DAY TRIAL // 3D printing is going mainstream, or, at least, that's been the common wisdom for the past few years. While the field is advancing fast, there's still some way to go before desktop 3D printers are as popular as regular printers were in their heyday.
But another sign of this new mainstream appeal is the growing number of large companies that are starting to get involved, or at least thinking about it.
A few months ago, the British supermarket chain ASDA started a trial 3D printing service. Now, McDonalds may follow suit, by making it possible to 3D print the wonderful toys you get with every Happy Meal.
The idea is to give customers a greater choice on the toy they get, rather than be restricted by what's left in stock or what's available in that particular week. This way, kids would have a lot more options to choose from.
That said, at the moment, it is just a thought, since there isn't even a pilot program in the works, as The Register reports.
While there are plenty of advantages to 3D printing the toys, it would also be hugely more expensive than having the cheap plastic figurines built by the millions and shipped from China to the rest of the world. And McDonalds isn't exactly renowned for its generosity.