3D printing has come a long way from ‘printing’ out cheap prototypes. While no longer a ‘new’ technology, we are still finding innovative ways to use it.
What is 3D Printing?
In theory, 3D printing uses a digital file of the design or scan of an object. The printer then ‘prints’ layer upon layer of material to create it, with each layer being a thin cross-section of the object.
As a result, 3D printing has much less wastage, as the amount of material used is much less than you’d use building the object the traditional way.
3D printing ‘ink’ was primarily a thermoplastic in liquid form, which cools into a strong and sturdy solid.
We say ‘was’ because, now, 3D printing is being used in new and innovative ways. Would you like to know what 3D printing is being used for? You’d be amazed…
Innovative Uses of 3D Printing
3D printing already being used in manufacturing, printing musical instruments, and creating quick prototypes… but give people technology and they will find a way to use it in novel and amazing ways.
Prosthetic Limbs
When people lost one or more of their limbs, getting a prosthetic was often painfully expensive. This proved to be even more costly for children, who grow fairly quickly and need replacements frequently.
Enter 3D printing of prosthetics…
This started out purely by chance when Ivan Owen, an artist, printed out a mechanical arm for a steampunk convention and shared videos of it. These videos were viewed by a carpenter in South Africa. He needed a prosthetic hand, and Owen helped him with it.
Owen also helped a mum with a prosthetic hand for her son, and it was then that he realised that 3D printing could be used to help families who needed cheap replacement limbs. All you need is design files, which he shared for free online. These could be edited and customised, and 3D printed for extremely cheap prosthetics.
Now, we have the NHS getting ready to provide affordable 3D-printed bionic arms.
Building and Construction
3D printing could help make emergency shelter construction much easier. It took less than 24 hours for a construction company to 3D print a 400 square feet ‘test’ house in Russia. Can you imagine how quickly the technology could print out small shelters for relief work?
Plus, it also solves the price problem for areas with extreme housing crises or poverty. New Story, a non-profit, has collaborated with ICON, a construction technologies company, to build a set of 3D printed homes in Mexico, in an area that’s prone to flooding and is extremely impoverished. They’re planning to build 50 homes by the end of 2020.
We’re still at the early stages, but it seems that 3D printing could be used to solve the world’s housing problem.
Body organs
You would’ve thought that living organs would be impossible to 3D print… but, you’d be wrong.
In fact, it might be the solution to the world’s organ donor shortage!
How are organs printed? The process uses inkjet printers that have been modified to use printer cartridges filled with living cells suspended in a shrewd gel. These artificial organs are mostly created with the recipient’s own cells to reduce the chances of rejection.
Currently, there’s research being conducted for the manufacture of printed hearts, kidneys, and livers. We also have the possibility of parts of complicated organs, like heart valves, being explored.
Food
As it was with organs, 3D printed food sounds like something straight out of a science fiction story. But, as long as it can be extruded in a liquid or puréed form, it can be printed.
One of the food items that’s had the most success with 3D printing has been chocolate. It solidifies quite quickly at room temperature and elaborate designs can be printed out for decoration or, indeed, just for novelty chocolate.
However, food printing isn’t just limited to the world’s favourite sweet. You can also have 3D printed marzipan, ice cream, pizzas, biscuits, and more!
Just as long as you are sure that the printer is cleaned properly…
Glass
For the longest time, it was thought that it was pretty much impossible to 3D print glass. Until scientists managed to conquer that particular frontier as well – they have developed a technique that can create complex glass structures with a regular 3D printer.
With this technology, we could create tiny lenses, tiny microreactors, and optical and photonic components for high-speed data transmission!
Firearms
3D printed firearms have been around since 2012, and it has been a matter of great debate and controversy. However, as with anything else on the internet, it’s extremely difficult to control access to digital designs, and if you have the digital plans, you can 3D print it.
Manufacturing of guns and gun parts without the approval of the government is prohibited in the UK, so this covers 3D printed guns as well.
However, in the US, you do get legal firearms designs that you can print as long as there is a metal plate inside the body.
Dentistry
3D printing in dentistry and orthodontics has been a game-changer. A dentist needs to take an impression of your dental structure every time you get any work done on your teeth, which is then stored in the form of a model.
With 3D dental scanners, dentists can now scan a highly accurate image of your mouth and save it digitally. This not only saves space, but also means you can get crowns, bridges, implants, and retainers 3D printed to be perfectly customised to you.
Space
3D printing in space is a challenge, because of… you know… the whole ‘no gravity’ thing. However, this technology could make life on the International Space Station so much easier. If astronauts needed a spare part, they’d just print it out instead of waiting for it.
So that’s what they are doing.
NASA partnered with Made in Space and made it possible for spacemen to simply print out plastic spare parts.
Very soon, they’ll be able to print out meat (well, artificial meat) in space as well.
What’s next on their plan?
As you can see, 3D printing technology is very rapidly becoming prevalent, and possibly even mainstream. It won’t be long before homes will have 3D printers the way we have inkjet printers now.
However, 3D printing comes with the risk of fumes and dust. This is why we offer a comprehensive range of extraction solutions for 3D printing. If you want to enter the future while also protecting the health of your employees and yourself, get in touch with us to find the right product for your needs.
