3D printing is a fairly new technology which has already changed many lives. There are many new things happening in 3D tech each year and more are yet to come. You’ll be able to use this technology for many things and it will improve many lives.
Here are some of the biggest breakthroughs in 3D technology and more information about it.
What is 3D Printing?
3D printing first started off in the 1980s when the first printer was designed – the first object printed was a small cup. These objects are created from a digital file and a printer which adds layer on top of layer until the object in question is created. Each layer represents a tiny fraction of the whole object. This uses less material than regular manufacturing.
Materials used are usually thermoplastics which can liquidize under high temperatures but can also solidify when they are cool and they can also remain hard. New materials, however, are always found – so much so that we now have edible 3D printouts.
Biggest 3D Printing Breakthroughs So Far
Here are some of the biggest 3D printing breakthroughs:
Prosthetic body parts
Vets have made 3D printed masks which can help dogs recover from various facial injuries, surgeons have used it to create prosthetic limbs and models which people can really use – there are no limits to medical help 3D printing can represent.
There have even been 3D printed mouse ovaries which have given birth to healthy mice. This could change the future of medicine forever once more research has been done.
3D Printed Houses
There has been a full house of 400 square feet constructed with a 3D printer in the suburbs of Moscow in less than 24 hours. Many possibilities of building these houses and other structures have proven especially useful. For instance, this can be used in the time of disaster, for emergency shelters.
People in Beijing have designed and printed out a concrete house in just 45 days and scientists in Germany made a miniature house of glass.
Edible 3D printing
Cake decorating techniques may not be the most important thing in the world but this is still a great new thing that can be used in many ways. Chocolate is an ideal edible and 3D print material. You can use many other things to print different objects and food.
Firearms
Just like with edible 3D printing, production of firearms might not be so useful as the first two points, but it’s still an advancement. There have also been some questions about security of the general public as anyone can print a gun in their own home.
Manufacturing
3D printing can have several applications across many industries like automotive, aerospace and more. They print replacement parts, machinery and prototyping new products. These models are also very easy to recycle and the process is efficient and fast. Manufacturers can use them to lower costs and produce things quicker.
Musical instruments
“Many instruments have been printed out with 3D printers like the 3Dvarius, inspired by the real Stradivarius, flutes, banjos and many others. There was even a 3D concert done in Sweden where there were drum, keyboard and two guitars,” says Heather Finn, a regular contributor to OX Essays and Essay Roo review.
3D printers can make anything you need
The amazing thing about 3D printing is that you can use it to create almost anything. All you need is a digital file and the right material to create the objects you need. There is no limit to what can happen when you put your creativity and a 3D printer into play.
The previous year was especially beneficial for 3D printing. There have been several advancements in materials used, more objects created and so on. 3D has a powerful reputation to create products at a lower cost and with more efficiency. Creating product is very simple with this tool.
Here is an overview of what you can do with the 3D printer from this year onward.
Print With Metal
You can successfully print with metal. This used to be a difficult feat because microscopic holes appear in the structure of an object and this leads to weakness in the object. So, this means that many metal 3D printing techniques are unsuitable for manufacturers.
However, many companies are making strides towards building a successful strategy for the metal printing so that these parts can be effectively used in products. Companies are testing many alloys that can work under full load. NASA printed a rocket part, for example.
3D Vaccines
Even though this may seem a bit strange, there have been some serious movements towards printing vaccines. For instance, MIT has invented a 3D printed vaccine which offers several immunizations at once. The particles containing the immunization have been made out of a biodegradable material which can degrade at certain points of someone’s life.
This project will be ground breaking and it will improve immunization rates for people without regular access to healthcare. This project will also allow babies to take all of their immunizations at once for the first two years of their lives.
3D print for construction
Scientists are working effectively on making 3D printing a regular thing in the construction industry. This means that they will be able to create buildings and other construction elements.
For instance, the current goal of the company in charge of the leading research when it comes to construction, is to be able to build 5 concrete benches a day, reduce the amount of time necessary to build them and so on.
The world’s first concrete, printed out bridge was also created and it’s approved and opened to public. These are all amazing discoveries that will make life much easier for the public and for the companies.
3D and robotics
“Robotics engineers used 3D printing techniques to create complex parts from a wide range of materials that can perform different functions. University of Tokyo also built two humanoid robots which can perform human activities.
The team managed to replicate some of the features of the human body and put them in metal and plastic materials. Thus, these robots imitate human bodies and are able to perform better. One of the robots can even sweat – it’s designed to help robot cool himself when he overheats,” says Jonas Hellsing, an author at Revieweal and State of writing review.
The Millionth Desktop 3D printer was sold
People have started buying more and more 3D printers, entertained and interested in the general idea behind the 3D printers and what they can do. People can create simple household items and it’s very popular with designers, hobbyists, small companies and artists. This technology has created many new opportunities on the market. Amazon wants to 3D print items in their delivery trucks while they are on the way to customers.
3D printing is a great technology that can help many people in different ways. For some it can heal, for some it’s fun, for some it’s food. You can enjoy it in any way you want. However, you should always be aware of fresh new things in 3D printing so that you can get the most benefits from it.
Author Bio
Nora Mork is a tech journalist, and blog editor at Australian Reviewer and UK Writing services. She enjoys doing overviews of the latest tech gadgets and trends, and contributing her knowledge to Best research paper services.
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