If you remember that our previous story, "Want Airsoft Parts? Get A 3D Printer", elucidated on the increasing importance of 3D Printers in our lives, especially in the creation of parts that we need without needing to purchase or run to the nearest store to get one. This is not only airsoft per se, but in the general lives of people. But for airsoft, yes, 3D printers can more than adequately service the needs of airsoft players.

Why do I say that, with 3D-printed parts now being created for real steel firearms working to give a temporary stop-gap before spare parts arrive, if not permanent replacements, then 3D printing should be fully utilised to service airsoft players. An example of real steel is the DefDist Printed Cuomo Mag which is shown in the video below that fires hundreds of rounds. This actually makes it difficult for the enforcement of high-capacity magazine bans in the U.S. since firearm owners could skirt around the law by 3D printing their magazines rather than going to the gun store where it won't be available if a law is in place.

With DefDist encountering issues from MakerBot, the company behind the famous and affordable 3D printers, censoring "open sourced" files for printing firearms parts and weapons accessories. They are now hosting the pulled files at their own website for those who are looking for 3D files to download print their own for free.

Optimus Prime mentioned, or to put it more appropriately, made a call in the previous story for a central repository of "free and open" airsoft designs that airsoft players can contribute and free download. This is especially needed to keep plans of parts of hard to find or discontinued products whilst at the same time, those who are willing to contribute designs without asking for any compensation (or perhaps establish a "premium" download area for designs that have to  be purchased).

Thus, it is a case for the creation of  "AIRSOFT CAD" or Airsoft Computer Aided Design Plans depository.

This is important as there many instances where we get emails at Popular Airsoft where to get parts for Product X that broke, and where to find Product Y which is already not in the market and not supported by its manufacture. It is unfortunate that we cannot point them to the proper direction as we are not customer support centre, and we do not have the answer to everything. If we can point them to a central repository where they can print what they need, then helping them even at 60% of what they actually need is already a success in itself.

It can create also a small industry for those who invest in 3D printers as they can service the needs of other airsoft players in their own countries who do not have their own printers. They can do the custom parts when there is no supply available and they can do it faster.

We could have preferred CNC machines but with 3D printers becoming more affordable and powerful, they can serve a lot of needs of airsoft players. The CAD files can also be used in CNC machines and thus both types can use.

So,  got a airsoft CAD file there that you want to contribute?