VOA慢速英語:3D Printers Arrive in US Stores

From VOA Learning English, this is the Technology Report.

這里是美國之音慢速英語科技報道。

Imagine having an idea, drawing it on paper, bringing it to a store and seeing it turned into a physical object. This is now possible with the help of 3D printers. Such machines were once used just by universities and big companies, but now, stores with 3D printing services are appearing around the United States.

想象一下，有了一個想法，把它畫到紙上，然后帶到商店，看到它變成真實的物體。有了3D打印機(jī)的幫助，現(xiàn)在這成為了可能。這種機(jī)器曾經(jīng)只有大學(xué)和大公司在用，但現(xiàn)在，提供3D打印服務(wù)的商店出現(xiàn)到了美國各地。

Bryan Jaycox and his wife opened The Build Shop LLC in Los Angeles two years ago. The store is filled with tools like a laser cutter, an industrial sewing machine and 3D printers. The Jaycoxs offer 3D printing classes and services for anyone who is interested.

布萊恩·杰科克斯(Bryan Jaycox)和他的妻子于兩年前在洛杉磯市開設(shè)了建造工場有限責(zé)任公司(The Build Shop LLC)。該店鋪內(nèi)到處是激光切割機(jī)、工業(yè)縫紉機(jī)和3D打印機(jī)之類的工具。杰科克斯一家向任何感興趣者提供3D打印課程和3D打印服務(wù)。

"I think 3D printing is going to be huge. It's going to make a huge impact on society as a whole."

杰科克斯說，“我認(rèn)為3D打印前景巨大，它將會對整個社會產(chǎn)生巨大沖擊。”

One of the students in a recent class was KiChong Tran. He plans to open a 3D print business in Cambodia.

KiChong Tran是近期培訓(xùn)課程的學(xué)生之一。他計劃在柬埔寨開設(shè)3D打印公司。

3D printing services are becoming available for American consumers. The UPS Store is a nationwide retailer that provides shipping, copying and other services. The UPS Store recently put 3D printers in three of its independently-owned stores. Burke Jones owns one of the stores in San Diego.

3D打印服務(wù)已經(jīng)開始面向美國消費者。優(yōu)比速服務(wù)站(UPS Store)是提供運輸、復(fù)印和其它服務(wù)的一個全國性的零售店。優(yōu)比速服務(wù)站最近把3D打印機(jī)放到了三家獨立經(jīng)營的店里。其中位于圣地亞哥的這家商店為伯克·瓊斯(Burke Jones)所擁有。

"The demand has been amazing. It's been much more than I would have imagined."

瓊斯說，“3D打印需求令人吃驚，這一需求比我想象的大得多。”

The UPS Store plans to add 3D printers in three more stores.

優(yōu)比速服務(wù)站計劃在三家新店里增加3D打印機(jī)。

For $11, Jonathan Netter used a 3D printer to produce two small plastic parts as part of a knuckle for a hand. He works for a medical device company, the company is testing finger prosthetics. He says the same-day or next-day printing services will speed up testing of parts and get the devices to patients faster.

只要11美元，喬納森·內(nèi)特(Jonathan Netter)就用3D打印機(jī)制造出了手關(guān)節(jié)(假肢)上的兩個小塑料零件。他就職于一家醫(yī)療器械公司，該公司正在測試假體手指。他說，當(dāng)天或翌日的打印服務(wù)能夠加快零件測試，將該器械(指假肢)更快地提供給患者。

An office supply company, Staples is selling 3D printers on its website for as low as about $1,300. A cartridge of color plastic costs $50. As with any technology -- experts expect the printing speed and price to improve.

史泰博辦公用品公司在其官方網(wǎng)站上以低至1300美元的價格銷售3D打印機(jī)。一個彩色塑料的料盒售價為50美元。與任何技術(shù)一樣，專家們預(yù)計打印速度和價格會提高。

Bryan Jaycox requires $15 an hour to print an object, he also charges a fee depending on the size of the object and up to $50 an hour for design and labor services.

杰科克斯對打印物體收取15美元每小時的費用，另外再根據(jù)物體大小收費，以及收取高達(dá)50美元每小時的設(shè)計和勞務(wù)費。

At The UPS Store, the cost of the object depends on the amount of materials used. The store charges up to $95 an hour to design the object with computer software that creates a digital file to guide the printer.

在優(yōu)比速服務(wù)站，打印物體的收費取決于材料的使用量。該店收取高達(dá)95美元每小時的設(shè)計費，它用計算機(jī)軟件設(shè)計出物體，然后生成一個數(shù)字文件指導(dǎo)打印機(jī)工作。

Mr Jaycox predicts that within five years, 3D printing technology could become more consumer friendly. But KiChong Tran says even current technology can make a difference in a developing country like Cambodia.

杰科克斯先生預(yù)計在5年內(nèi)，3D打印技術(shù)會更加貼近消費者。但KiChong Tran表示，即使是目前的技術(shù)也能在柬埔寨之類的發(fā)展中國家有所作為。

"With 3D printing, you can give them tools, you put it in their hands, so they are responsible more for their own development, and they learn skills beyond just learning English and becoming a tour guide or something like that or working at a bank. You can actually create things that give value to the world."

KiChong Tran表示，“有了3D打印就能給人們提供工具。你把工具交到人們手里，這樣他們對自身發(fā)展就更為負(fù)責(zé)。人們學(xué)習(xí)技能，而不僅僅是學(xué)習(xí)英語成為導(dǎo)游之類的或到銀行工作。人們可以創(chuàng)造對世界有價值的東西。”

He says it's not just Cambodia but anywhere where there is a 3D printer, it can turn a good idea -- into reality.

他說，不止是柬埔寨，任何地方有了3D打印機(jī)，都能將好的想法變成現(xiàn)實。