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Portabee GO 3D Printer: Portable and Affordable

3D printers are getting leaner and smarter day by day. Earlier these machines were being manufactured as being large and bulky and were meant to stay in one place. But as we all know change is the only constant thing in this universe. The term desktop is being removed from 3D printers and they are all set to go portable!

The very first printer which was released in this lot of portable printers was Lumifold then the Tobeca followed by Bukito. Among the most recent ones is the Portabee GO which has come out of Singapore. The Portabee Go 3D printer has been manufactured by a Singaporean company named Portabee. The most attractive feature of this printer is the sleekest printer of the portable printers’ lot. The other feature that attracted our attention was the part that the printer can be folded up making 3D printers portable a reality. The printer was released last October but the company is now ready to take up orders.

Daniel Warner, the business head of Portabee says, “We have our latest mobile 3D printer, the Portabee GO, ready for open orders. “We believe we have a pretty unique 3D printer for 2014. The GO is a truly portable 3D printer with fantastic accuracy. Definitely the only 3D printer so far that can be fold into a satchel, and yet will give a rival to a MakerBot or Ultimaker in print quality. After a rigorous and mentally taxing engineering phase, we are finally ready to bring the GO to market.” He further went on to say, “There is a lot to get right with this little 3D printer, the gantry is free hovering, auto-leveling and the folding mechanism took a lot of effort to conquer also, the unfolding process requires a bit of a trick, however once you know how it works, you can unfold in around 10 seconds.”

Technical specifications of Portabee 3D printer:

·         Technology:Fused Filament Fabrication Thermoplastic Extrusion

·         Build Volume: XYZ: 12cm x 16cm x 12cm (2304 CM ³/ 139 IN ³)

·         Print Nozzle: 0.35 MM

·         Layer Accuracy: 50 Micron/ 0.05 MM

  • Layer Thickness: 0.1mm
  • Wall Thickness: 0.48mm
  • Folded Dimensions: XYZ : 20.8cm x 22.5cm x 7.9cm
  • Deployed Dimension: XYZ : 208mm x 225mm x 277mm
  • Build Materials: PLA (Polylactic acid)

The DIY for assembling this printer is very simple all the user needs to do is plug it in and load some GCode. The rest is taken care of by the auto leveling sequence and in no time the printer will be all set to take print outs. The price of the printer is also very commendable $595. The company is already taking in orders. The orders can be placed on the company’s website.

The most incredible part of the printer is that with the given volume, the printer can be folded into a rectangular box. Companies like MakerBot should now make some serious changes in their machines so that their dominance in this business can be maintained.

Image Source: http://portabee3dprinter.com/

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TOME 3D Printer : Portable and Self Contained

If you want to print something on the go then, the new genre of printers which are popularly known as portable printers are the best pick for you. Usually the 3D printers have a large size because of which they are immobile. Recently the 3D printing market has witnessed a few portable 3D printers. But the printer about which we will be analyzing today is very unique as it is said to be self contained, which means that 3D models can be printed out of them even in the middle of the Sahara desert or in army field hospitals which are short on supplies!

This concept of a self contained printer has been materialized by a pair of MIT mechanical engineering students named Philip Haasnoot, and his partner Corey Renner. Their collaborative effort has given rise to the first truly portable 3D printer known as the TOME 3D printer, which uses the FDM technology. Although the people who have designed this printer are students, they excel in the task of creating elaborate and comprehensive electronic devices. Haasnoot developed a keen eye for 3D printing from the work experience that he gathering from companies like Motorola and Local Motors.

In his interaction with 3ders(dot)org, Haasnoot says “My inspiration for creating the printer draws both from my professional life as well as the trends in mobile computing. I learned early on in my career that being agile and flexible would enable me to advance at a rapid pace, and fill roles in whatever organization I worked for rapidly. Being able to bring tools with me became very important as my job often required me to travel from on- site testing or manufacturing management. Having a 3D printer on hand to produce proto- types or test fixture designs would have enabled these projects to be completed faster, with more precision and less overhead cost. Inspiration for TOME was also drawn from the progression from desktop PC’s to Laptops, with the trade off in sheer computing power for mobility. I see the TOME as the next logical step for 3D printers, refining the FDM technology to work in a smaller more robust package. Future advancements and patent expirations will enable us to miniaturize other 3D printing technologies for mobile use.”

Haasnnot and Renner are in the final stage of developing this printer, which is finalizing the designs for the XYZ drive mechanism and the extruder. They plan to produce TOMEs in several sizes and also in commercial version which will be equipped with an injection molded/ leather wrapped case for making the device compatible for everyday use.

The specifications of the printer are mentioned below:

  • Folded dimension: 4 inches x 8 inches x 11 inches
  • Print Volume: 5 inches cube
  • Battery backup: Minimum 4 hrs standard, Minimum 6 hrs 1.5x battery pack
  • Materials: PLA (with a heated bed for better adhesion)
  • Two filaments
  • Capacity: Minimum 3 inches solid cube, Minimum 5 inches solid cube with 1.5x reel.

The duo plans to sell this printer for less than $1,500 and with these developments they are optimistic that the printer will “Forge new paths in the 3D printing community”.

Image Source: Phil-source.com

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US Postal Department sees a ray of hope in 3D Printing

United States Postal Service USPS looks to 3d printing
United States Postal Service USPS looks to 3d printing

Now, with that title of the article most people must be wondering how 3DP can help the postal department. In the past we have seen that 3DP have influenced almost all the sectors in a very influential and positive way. 3DP has made the traditional way of working and manufacturing ultra modern. So is 3DP trying to revolutionize the United States Postal Services (USPS)?

With the rise of modern technology the traditional means of communication has lost its path. Many post offices are shutting down since people have turned to mobiles and emails for communicating. There are very few who actually use the facilities of the postal department. In this dark hour for the postal there seems to be a ray of hope coming from the 3DP industry. The rise of 3D printing represents a significant growth opportunity for the US Postal Service. According to the report which was issued by the USPS Office of Inspector General, says that the annual package revenue has risen by $500 million. This report also analyzes the prospects of a new innovative technology i.e. 3D printing which will surely improve the future financial health of the agency.

3D objects that are build by layering plastic, powder, metal or any other material. The products that are made by 3D printing are highly customized so with each passing day the demand for these 3D printed objects is increasing. According to the new report which was compiled by the economic consulting firm Christensen Associates, “If It Prints, It Ships: 3D Printing and the Postal Service,” reports that the USPS can’t wait for 3DP to go mainstream. If this happens then the present trend of containerized cargos delivering thousands of items over long distances will collapse and a new trend either people will start of ordering customized objects online which would then be printed at local centers and will be delivered the very same day, or bring in a 3D printers. The first possibility that the Christensen Associates estimates is that, “3D printing could raise the Postal Service’s annual package revenue by $485 million as businesses ship increasing numbers of 3D printed goods to consumers.” As for the second source of increased revenues,, “If people someday print many items directly, they may frequently need 3D printing supplies such as powders and binding materials delivered.” The report further says, “No other organization covers as much ground as frequently and reliably as the Postal Service.”

With the people accepting 3D printing whole heartedly, items can be manufactured closer to where the consumer lives and the requirement of last-mile delivery will rise which will throw the ball back into the court of the Postal Department which still maintains the largest last mile network in the country. The strength of the network is undeniable it delivers to approximately 153 million addresses across the United States of America. It has around 211,000 vehicles which annually cover a distance of over 1.2 billion miles. Most importantly it is a source of livelihood for nearly 114, 000 rural carriers and nearly 198, 000 city carriers. As companies shift from expensive and duplicate warehousing to just in time inventory the USPS could reap the benefits of this shift and then finely tune itself to the projected annually package revenue to $500 million.

The auditors said, “We have not yet begun to see the rise of new businesses taking advantage of this technological revolution, and we are only in the early stages of new citizen demand for mass customization, by establishing a role in the 3D printing market, the Postal Service could put a compelling 21st century twist on its historical mission to serve citizens and facilitate commerce.” The USPS IG said that the direction in which the 3D printing industry takes is still unclear but it’s very important for the postal to stay on the forefront.

3D printing will undoubtedly is all set to revolutionize our world and bring in a new wave of innovation both in factories and at homes all over the world. The expected trends if proves to be right then a large portion of postal service’s deficit without lying off more workers or raising the price of stamps can be easily done. In the near future when 3D printing goes main stream and the postal department captures the entire delivery market, the private delivery companies will opt for something more creative in order to cater to the needs of the people of this vast country. Most probably we would see Amazon drones flying over heads and delivering packages or 3D printing materials to the most rural areas of the country irrespective of the distance and the location of the consumer.

But if the Postal Agency wants to survive through this era of competition where the delivery companies are coming up with new schemes of instant delivery and 24 hours delivery, it is high time for the agency to think of some strategy beyond its partnership with the 3D printers in order to survive through this tough time.

Image Source: tales of a wandering youkai (flickr credit: z0)

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Micro 3D Printer Tops the Charts on Kickstarter

In the past we have heard of some not so successful stories from the world of Kickstarter, stories ranging from companies withdrawing products from the list to companies not making through the goal. But this story is definitely a happy one!

Micro 3D printers are produced by a 3D printing firm based in Maryland named M3D. The printer surpassed its $50,000 goal in less than 24 hours, earning $330,000 from 1,300 backers. The printer managed to raise $3.4 million with the support of around 12, 000 backers so far. The printer took only 11 minutes to reach the crowd funding goal and by the end of the day M3D had sold all its $200 and $250 bundles as well as one filament spool. These were the special price limited printers. The price does not include the shipping charges.

The M3D team said, “What great news to wake up to! Having so many backers’ means we have the opportunity to make more Micros. We’re really excited about the amount of buzz The Micro has created, and we want to assure you we are hunkering down and focusing on delivering back rewards for the next several months.”

Until now around 7,530 Micro 3D printers have been claimed by customers. These acclaimed printers will reach the owners by the October and February of 2015. Each additional dollar helps the company recruit more staff and manufacture more printers quickly and efficiently.

The technical specifications of Micro 3D printer:

  • Supports many different materials: ABS, PLA, nylon, professional, chameleon
  • 50-350 micron layer resolution
  • 15 micron X and Y positioning accuracy
  • Filament: standard 1.75mm. 1/2lb rolls fit within print bed and allow you to try a variety of materials and colors for less! Standard filament rolls also supported.
  • Print height: 116mm (4.6″)
  • Base Print Area: 109mm x 113mm
  • Print Area Above 74mm: 91mm x 84mm
  • Removable Print Bed Size: 128x128mm
  • Printer Dimensions: It’s a cube, 7.3 in (185 mm) per side.
  • Printer weight: 1kg (2.2 lbs)
  • Package weight: 2kg – 2.7kg (4.4 lbs – 6 lbs)
  • USB Compatible
  • Glass-Filled ABS Body

 Software specifications:

  • M3D software for an effortless, plug-and-play experience
  • Supports and uses open source software (for advanced users)
  • File Types Supported: .STL, .OBJ
  • Compatible with Mac and PC. Linux will also likely be supported.

The printer from the very beginning was being publicized as the first truly consumer 3D printer. This printer is compatible with a wide range of operating systems from Windows to Mac and Linux.

Michael Armani, the founder at M3D, says, “We are absolutely astounded by the positive response we’ve had; to hit our goal in just 11 minutes and then to raise more than $2 million this early in our campaign. We’re honored to be in the same arena of Kickstarter success stories such as the Oculus Rift, and excited to be making The Micro a reality for the everyday consumer thanks to our backers. They’ve made this possible, and we’re making sure that we deliver on time as a thank you for their continued support.”

Image Source: Printm3d.com

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ZYYX 3D Printer: Fume Free, Adjustments Free and Hassle Free

With every week being very busy in the 3D printing industry as there’s always a new printer on the block. The machine that tops this chart is the ZYYX 3D printer. A Sweden based company named Magicfirm Europe has launched a new Desktop 3D printer- the ZYYX 3D printer.

As we say that the printer is different, it actually is quite different from all aspects right from the looks to the functioning. It does not look like any other 3D printer; it is enclosed both on the front and top. This enclosure ensures that the fumes that come out of the printer during the printing process stay in the printer which helps in keeping the build environment pristine. There have been a couple of 3D printers that have flaunted the enclosed feature but the difference here is that ZYYX has a fan which helps to circulate the air within the build chamber and then pushing it out of the printer via an active carbon filter. This is helpful in removing the fumes that are created during the printing of an object due to the melting of the filament. That’s quite an appealing feature!

Another feature that captured us all was the surface compensating the build plate system. With the incorporation of this system there is no longer the need to adjust the print bed before the printing process. The printer head has an integrated probe which automatically takes measurements of the build plate in certain areas, adjusting of the plate. The key to this active build plate calibration system is a reliable, simple probe design with only a single moving part. The probe is calibrated on each printer individually before delivering the product. These automatic adjustments aid in a care free printing experience.

The only problem with the printer is the poor adhesive quality of the first layer of the print because of this there might be frequent print failures.

 

These are a few technical specifications of the ZYYX 3D printer.

Print Technology: Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF)

Build Volume: 270x230x195 mm

Filament diameter: 1.75 mm

Nozzle diameter: 0.4 mm

Max Resolution: 50 microns layer thickness, 11 microns XY positioning

Speed: up to 150mm/s print speed, 200mm/s travel speed

Printing temperature: 100-265 Degrees Celsius

Filament type: PLA, ABS, Flexible PLA, TPU, Nylon, PET, Laywood, Laybrick, T-glase

Interfaces: USB, SD Card

Stepper Motor type: 1.8° Step angle, 1/16 micro stepping

Build Plate: Glass build plate with ZYYX 3D Print Sheet top layer

Firmware: Custom Sailfish Open Source FW

Desktop Software: Simplify3D

Computer Requirements: Intel Pentium 4 or higher processor, 2GB or more of RAM, Windows XP or greater Mac OS X 10.6 or greater, Ubuntu Linux 12.10 or greater. OpenGL 2.0 capable system

Supported file types: STL, X3G

Product size: 43x54x45,5(WxHxL) cm

Product weight: 16kg

 

The ZYYX printer is priced at € 1,550 and the printer can be purchased from the company’s website within a couple of weeks.

Image source: zyyx3dprinter.com

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Onyx 3D printer – Large volume 3D printer from Singapore

3D printing has become the most in- thing in the world of technology. Everyone wants to be a part of this movement and contribute to it in their small ways. Be it America, Europe or the third world countries like Pakistan all have boarded on this journey of 3D printing. As per recent trends some of the most sophisticated and large build volume 3d printers have come from Asia.

The 3D printer that has become the talk of the town now is the Onyx 3D printer. A Singapore based company named 3dee Creations had recently held an official launch event for their new ‘prosumer’ desktop 3D printer, Onyx 3D printer. Although this is not the first printer coming from Singapore and most certainly will not be the last one. But as per the quality it seems that Onyx 3D is undoubtedly one of the best quality 3D printers to surface from this region.

The technical specifications of the printer are given below:

Print Properties

Technology: Fused Filament Fabrication

Build Volume: 200(L) x 200(W) x 200mm (H)

Min Feature Size: 100 MICRONS

Print Materials: PLA

Max Travel Speed: 250MM/S

Physical Features

Dimensions: 343(L) x 343(W) x 470mm (H)

Product Weight: 10.5KG

Shipping Weight: 15KG

Power Supply: 12V 20A 240W

Nozzle Size: 0.3MM / 0.4 MM

Mechanical

Construction: Aluminum Frame

Case: Black Glossy and Matt Arcylic

Stepper motor: 1.8° STEPA 1/16 MIRCOSTEP

XY Precision Positioning: 12.5 Microns

Z Precision Positioning: 2.5 Micron

The printer uses the Fused Deposition Modeling Technology and is capable of very thin layers i.e. 100 microns and has a speed of 250mm/s. It is accompanied by a large built volume and a controllable heater bed. In additional to all these features there is a seamless rod system which provides very high level of precision and the quality of the prints also excels. The added benefit is less noise as compared to the other FDM 3D printers that are currently circulating in the market. The LCD panel and the SD card expansion slot enables the user to control the printer during the printing process and also helps to print without having to use an USB cable. The Onyx is capable of printing in ABS, PLA and a wide variety of filaments like Nylon and wood composite. All this and much more can be acquired in $1,688 which is the priced that has been fixed for the Onyx 3D printer.

The Onyx 3D printer is a good addition to the range of desktop printers that are currently available in the market. It also fits in well with the other low cost machines that are made in Singapore. The prints that have been displayed on the site suggest a very fine level of detailing which is applaud able for a printer of this price range. The Onyx 3D printer has a lot of potential but nothing can be predicted until the consumer reviews are received. Till now the printer seems to be very promising.

The printer is available for pre –orders.

Imagecredit: 3deecreations.com

 

 

 

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Zeni Kinetic launches Origin 3D Printers

Almost every day we see a new 3D printer on the block with some modifications either on the price front or the technical specifications front. This sudden growth of 3D printers has taken place in the past 12 months. The 3D printing market has become very competitive and the competition is expected to become cut throat in another few years. If a person goes to the market to buy a 3D printer he has a wide range of 3D printers from which he can choose the one that fits his needs as well as his pocket. There are large printers, small printers, cheap printers, pricey printers name it and you have it.

The company that now is in the spot light for making a new 3D printer is Zeni Kinectic. It is the same company that gave away 3D printer filaments to schools and education focused nonprofit organizations. It is basically a 3D printer filament company which has recently launched a brand new line of three printers which have the right combination of price and volume. The names of the printers are Zeni Kinetic Origin Prime, Zeni Kinetic Origin Plus, and Zeni Kinetic Origin Ultimate. For the pricing point of view, the printers have been priced very reasonably. The Prime is priced at $699; the Plus is $899 and the Ultimate for $1,150. These printers are the best bid for people who wish to own a affordable 3D printer with a large volume. This feature makes these printers are better than the printers that are available in the market today. The company has opening the pre-orders for these 3D printers. All the pre-orders will be shipped within 3-5 weeks with 4 spools of filament, in any color, material, or diameter available. The specifications of these printers are mentioned below.

Origin Prime:

  • 300mm x 300mm x 250mm (12 x 12 x 10 inches) build area
  • Single extruder with your choice of .25mm, .35mm or .5mm nozzle with fan
  • Uses 1.75mm filament.
  • Prints with: PLA and any filament up to 230C that does not require a heated bed.
  • 75 micron layer height
  • Print speeds up to 150mm / sec.
  • Easy bed leveling
  • Bed Materials: Your choice of tempered glass or acrylic.
  • Internal aluminum frame
  • Fully enclosed mechanics
  • Easy access to internal components

Origin Plus – includes found on the Prime plus the following:

  • Dual extruders with your choice of .25mm .35mm or .5mm nozzles
  • Heated bed: Up to 120 C
  • Tempered Glass removeable build plate for easy print cooling and removal.
  • 2 Spool Bays
  • Prints with: PLA, ABS, HIPS, PVA and most other filament materials, up to 250C.

Origin Ultimate – includes everything on the Plus including the following:

  • Upgraded controller: NXP LPC 1768/9 32-bit Cortex-M3 MCU
  • LCD controller for standalone operation
  • SD Card slot
  • Network connection port
  • Print speeds up to 200 mm / sec.
  • Easy bed leveling with auto software calibration sensor.

Image Source: Zenikinetic.com

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Xplorer 3D Printers – Pakistan’s first 3D printer brand

As most Asian countries are still considered as either under developed or developing and out of the blue there is a nation that comes out with something that most developed nations are investing their money and talent on then that is a break through worth admiring. After Iran beginning to explore the possibilities of developing a medical 3D printer, it’s the chance of Pakistan to leave an everlasting impression in the world of 3D printing.

Way back in 2012, SoftOnix was established in Pakistan and it became the first company that provided 3D printing services and 3D printers on demand of the customers. From 2012-2013 were the dormant years of this company but soon enough the demand for 3D printers started to flow and now the company decided to make their own 3D printers. The CEO of Xplorer 3D, Tayyab Alam says, “In late 2013 we were getting a lot of demand for 3D printers, seven out of ten calls asked us for 3D printers instead of the 3D printing service.” Soon enough the company realized that to remain the leaders in this business some essential steps were to be taken. Alam further says, “So we started working on the plans to design and manufacture Pakistan’s very own 3D printer brand, and finally we launched [our line of] 3D Printers for consumers, back in March 2014,” said Alam. “Xplorer 3D is Pakistan’s first 3D printing brand, providing state of the art and affordable 3D Printers. Currently our printers are being manufactured in China and assembled in Pakistan, but we do have future plans to start manufacturing them right here. Currently our product range starts from DIY 3D printing kits to professional level 3D printers.”

Currently the company offers three different printers which range from 65,000 Pakistani Rupee (approximately $650) for the Xplorer 3D Basic to 195,000 Rupee ($1950) for the Xplorer 3D Pro. The Xplorer 3D Core is priced at 135,000 rupees. The features of the three printers are almost same apart from the application. The Xplorer 3D basic is an affordable DIY Desktop 3D printer Kit. The Xplorer Core is an engineer’s desktop 3D printer whereas the Xplorer 3D Pro is a professional desktop 3D printer. Curiously the technical specifications of the three printers are the same. The technical specifications are mentioned below.

PRINTING

Print Technology: Fused Deposition Modeling Build Volume: 200L x 200W x 200H mm Layer Resolution: 100 MICRONS [0.0039 IN] Positioning Precision: XY: 11 MICRONS [0.0004 IN], Z: 2.5 MICRONS [0.0001 IN] Filament Diameter: 1.75 MM [0.069 IN] Nozzle Diameter: 0.4 MM [0.015 IN]

SOFTWARE

Software Bundle: CURA, REPETIER HOST, DRIVERS File Types: STL, OBJ, GCODE Operating Systems: WINDOWS (XP / 7+), MAC OS X (10.6+), LINUX (UBUNTU 12.04+)  Connectivity: USB, SD Card (Both Included)

MECHANICAL

Chassis: Powder Coated Steel Body: Powder Coated Steel Build Platform: GLASS XYZ Bearings: Wear-Resistant, Oil-Infused Bronze Stepper Motors: 1.8° Step Angle with 1/16 Micro-Stepping

ELECTRICAL

Storage Temperature: 0°–32° C [32°–90° F] Operating Temperature: 15°–32° C [60°–90° F]

AC Input: 100–240 V, ~2 AMPS, 50–60 HZ Power Requirements: 24 V DC @ 6.25 AMPS

DIMENSIONS

Product Dimensions Without Spool: 49 L X 32 W X 38 H CM [19.1 X 12.8 X 14.7 IN] With Spool: 49 L X 42 W X 38 H CM [19.1 X 16.5 X 14.7 IN] Shipping Dimensions: 59 L X 55 W X 43 H CM [23 X 21.5 X 17 IN] Product Weight: 11.5 KG [25.4 LBS] Shipping Weight: 16.8 KG [37.0 LBS]

3D printing is finding its way into the third world countries and thanks to Alam many homes in Pakistan will now be able to experience the magical world of 3D printing.

Image source: xplorer3d.com

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Industries 3D Printing will soon be Disrupting

3D Printing changes the face of many traditional industries like defence, space, manufacturing, education, food, healthcare etc

With the dawn of 3D printers the traditional ways of manufacturing are changing with leaps and bounds. A few years back 3D printing was an important technology for the creation of proto-types but now 3D printing seems to have captured the entire consumer market right from electronics to toys, healthcare to space. There is a long list of industries that are bound to be disrupted by the large scale usage of 3D printers. In this article we will see some of the industries that are greatly affected by the adaptation of 3D printers.

3D Printing effect on traditional Manufacturing

3D printing will very soon replace the traditional manufacturing industry. The production of parts at a faster rate with the help of 3D printers is something that is attracting a lot of manufacturers to switch to this technology. The various mass production manufacturing industries that will sooner or later experience the 3DP are: electronic production, jewelry industry, manufacturing of the various automotive parts and the manufacturing of toys.

Healthcare Industry:

Bio-printing is growing at a very rapid pace and now it is also being considered as the fastest growing form of 3D printing. In this form of 3D printing ink jet style printers are used to make living tissues. Organovo plans to commercialize 3D printed liver tissues. They have amalgamated their efforts with the National Eye Institute and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences to print eye tissue.

With the help of 3D printing now medical solutions can be more personalized as per the needed of the patients. The implanting of soft tissue organs such as ear, finger or kidney can be easily done by 3D printing and will soon be done widely.

The other applications of 3D printing in this sector would be metal hip implants, skull implants, orthopedic insoles, body braces, and jaw transplants have already been manufactured on 3D printers.

The recent development made in this sector with aid from 3D printing is that of the origin of a new process known as the Block Cell Printing. In this process 100% of the cells are living as compared to the earlier process in which only 50%- 80% of the cells would survive.

Defense Industry:

The equipments that are used in this sector are either very complex or very dangerous to use. So the quantity in which it is produced is not very high. The volume of production is relatively low. The parts of these equipments are mostly custom made and a there will be a frequent need for replacing them once they are worn out. With 3D printers the replacement parts can be built on site which results in saving a lot of time and money in ordering the replacement parts.

3D printed guns have also been done last year. The defense departments of countries like US and Australia are thinking of installing 3D printers in their respective departments. A platoon that would be solely 3D printing the parts that are needed by the soldiers will be seen very soon.

Education Sector:

3D printing has proved the positive impact that it can create on students by the various experiments that were done in many schools and colleges around the globe. Some colleges and universities such as University of Michigan have already started using this technology in their regular curriculum.

MakerBot one of the biggest 3D printing company has recently announced the establishment of the MakerBot Academy. It is a crowdfunded plan which will enable the entry of 3D printers in every school in America. The company also plans to establish MakerBot Innovation Centers in the various colleges and universities starting from the State University of New York at New Palz.

Culinary Industry

Chocolates are something that are loved and enjoyed by people of all age groups. Customization of chocolate has been something that has lately overpowered this industry. Chocolates of different shapes and sizes have attracted many people who want to gift their loved ones something sweet. Chocolates that are shaped like logos of companies, names and other objects are being widely printed all over the world with much ease as compared to the traditional methods. 3D printing has become so versatile that anything can be printed that can exist in powder or liquid form. In other words things that can be extruded from a nozzle or a syringe can be 3D printed. Sugar sculptures are something that is just another miracle that can be done by 3D printing.

The other materials that can be 3D printed are cheese and sauces. In one of the recent developments in this sector is the 3D of pizza, an egg plant dish, corn pasta and panna cotta.

Space industry

The venturing of 3d printers in this industry has been something that is very recent. One of the most logical usages of this technology is the 3D printing of the various parts, tools and gadgets that are needed on board of a space ship. This makes the crew which is onboard very self sufficient.

3D printing can also accelerate the building of parts for the International Space Station. NASA has collaborated with the Marshall Space Flight Center to launch the very first 3D printer in space. This printer will manufacture parts in zero gravity. In another effort to make these printers an active member on space ships an engineer has won a grant from NASA for creating a machine that would print food for the astronauts who are on board.

These are few examples which clearly indicate how 3d printing is slowly changing the way manufacturing is being done today. Moreover it shows the potential that this technology carries. It also gives us a sense that it can serve important civic purposes and also become an engine for economic development.

Environmental Effect of 3D Printing

The traditional methods of mass production are very wasteful and dirty. In more than one way 3D printing lowers down the level of waste and also the carbon footprint that the manufacturing industry can have on the planet. Some of the benefits of using 3DP over the traditional manufacturing techniques are:

  • Fewer wasted materials
  • Possibility of longer life span of the object that is created.
  • Cutting down the transportation cost
  • Fewer unsold products as production is done only when there is a demand. (no warehousing)

Image Credit: Luke Peterson (flickr handle: lukepeterson)