The advent of 3D printing technology initially seemed like a realization of science fiction. Today, 3D printers are accessible for home use, enabling individuals to produce remarkable items. This technology has significantly influenced various sectors, including medicine, culinary arts, textiles, and construction, with its continued advancement showing no signs of abating. The following provides an overview of some of the most extraordinary objects produced through 3D printing, as well as a brief introduction to the principles of 3D printing technology.
3D Printing Explained
3D (three-dimensional) printing is a method of additive manufacturing, which involves producing a tangible item based on a digital blueprint. This technique operates by depositing successive layers of materials, such as liquid or powdered plastic, metal, or cement, and subsequently bonding these layers together.
To really drill it down, it kind of looks like a nozzle that squirts out a material in a controlled way, creating multiple layers, by layering the substance back and forth upon itself, generating a finished shape which is dictated by the blueprint.
3D Printing Present & Future
Since its inception, 3D printing technology has significantly enhanced manufacturing productivity, with the potential to substantially disrupt various industries, including manufacturing, logistics, and inventory management, particularly when effectively integrated into mass production processes.
Currently, the speed of 3D printing remains insufficient for most mass production applications. However, this technology has demonstrated considerable value in reducing lead times for prototyping parts and devices, as well as in the production of necessary tooling. This is especially beneficial for small-scale manufacturers, as it lowers costs and accelerates time to market—the period from product conception to commercial availability. Additionally, 3D printing has captured the interest of laypersons, proving to be both engaging and accessible.
One of the key advantages of 3D printing is its capacity to fabricate intricate and complex shapes using less material compared to traditional subtractive manufacturing methods, such as drilling, welding, and injection molding. By facilitating faster, easier, and more cost-effective prototyping, 3D printing technology fosters increased innovation, encourages experimentation, and supports the growth of product-focused startups.
How Much Do 3D Printers Cost?
There are 3D printers available for about $100, but of course they will be less sophisticated than more expensive options, and also have more limitations.
For an avid home hobbyist, you can find 3D printers for less than $1000. All of these lower cost printers might come as a kit.
More professional printers will start at about $5,000 and go up to tens of thousands of dollars.
But let’s get to the fun part. Here are some incredibly cool things that 3D printers have produced.
3D Printers at Home
Recent statistics say that 2 million consumer 3D printers have been sold around the world.
Here are some things that have been printed with home-based machines:
- Earbud case
- Orthotics & Prosthetics – for humans and pets!
- Bottle opener
- Coffee Maker
- Popsicle Mold
- Musical instruments
- Survival whistle
- Handles
- Hinges
- Wallet
- Makeup
- Toys
- Cable catchers
- Bowls & Cutlery
- Pen holders
- Phone docks
- Tablet stands
- SD card holders
- Planters & Garden decor
- Recycling/sustainability equipment
3D Homes
There are large scale printers that are being used to work with a type of concrete to build walls and houses, that people are already living within.
Dwell magazine did a story about what it was like to live in one of these structures, and the comments were overwhelmingly positive.
There have been high-end structures built, such as those created by EYRC Architects, who have formed a partnership with Mighty Buildings, a construction company based in Oakland, CA. They collaborated on a groundbreaking 3D-printed community project in Desert Hot Springs, California. The construction employed a strategy that involved 3D printing wall panels and assembling the structure on-site.
Unlike conventional 3D printing companies, Mighty Buildings utilizes a specialized resonated stone composite known as Light Stone Material in their printers. This composite solidifies under UV light exposure, ensuring exceptional durability and thermal stability.
More modest housing has already been built as well. Compact dwellings, measuring 400 square feet, were originally designed by Logan Architecture for the Community First! Village, a 51-acre development aimed at providing housing for individuals experiencing homelessness in Austin. Icon, utilizing its Vulcan II printers, successfully carried out on-site 3D printing to construct the houses.
Skin, Bones & Organs
A team of researchers from the University of Toronto has developed a portable 3D printer capable of applying skin cells onto a pig’s body. Initially, the pig’s own cells were collected and cultured to obtain a sufficient quantity, which were then utilized as the printing material.
Operating similarly to a tape dispenser, the handheld 3D printer was carefully maneuvered over the pig’s wound, resulting in the successful attachment of the skin cells to the chosen area. This breakthrough has led scientists to envision a future where this technology could potentially replace the need for skin grafts in humans, simplifying the treatment of individuals with open wounds, particularly burn victims.
The field responsible for printing living tissues is referred to as bioprinting, and researchers have already achieved significant milestones in this area. Artificial bone, blood vessels, and bladders have been successfully printed, fostering hope among scientists that this technology could ultimately alleviate the prolonged and sometimes life-threatening wait for organ transplants.
Chocolate
We love chocolate, but 3D printed chocolate? Why not? In this case the 3D printer is simply used as a way to create chocolate forms, such as bunnies, or geometric shapes. Chocolate itself, being capable of being liquid in form when melted, makes a great 3D printing material. The printer makes layers of melted chocolate, which then firm up upon cooling. Even Hershey, one of the largest chocolate manufacturers in the world, has entered the game with 3D printed chocolates.
At Hershey’s Chocolate World Attraction, visitors have the opportunity to personalize their chocolate bars with custom messages, utilizing either a CAD file or even a scanned image of their faces through scanning technology. One of the current limitations faced by the additive manufacturing industry is time. It takes approximately one hour and twenty-six minutes to print a full-size Hershey Chocolate Kiss. As a result, Hershey currently offers two-dimensional design customization, which can be completed in just a few minutes. The intention is to provide customers with an interactive and efficient experience.
The printers are equipped with interactive touchscreens, enabling the company to gather customer feedback regarding their customization preferences. This valuable input from customers aids Hershey in shaping the future of their technology as they continue to innovate.
Other Food
Many other foods have been 3D printed, such as quiches, croutons, candies, cereal, spaghetti, even sugar sculptures. Even more elaborate creations such as spoon-shaped breadsticks, crackers made from roasted red peppers that look like lace, dumplings in ginger broth, pizza, pumpkin gnocchi, and even mini burgers.
Check out our article Sustainable Seafood or Sci-Fi Fare? Would You Eat 3D Printed Fish?
One article stated that the “hope” was that in the future, people who didn’t like to cook, could just produce food at home with a printer. We aren’t sure we are hoping for that. We did find it amusing that one journalist referenced Jean-Luc Picard aboard the USS Enterprise. As Captain Picard was fond of saying, “Computer: Tea. Ear Grey. Hot.” The time is near.
Bigger Isn’t Always Better: How About A Microscopic Race Car?
This one got our attention. Vienna University of Technology researchers created a 3D printer that excel at small objects. To highlights its abilities, they made a teeny, tiny Formula One-style race car about four times the width of a human hair.
Robots
Yanko Design has created the C-Bot, a wall-climbing robot based on the biometrics of a gecko’s foot design. The robot can “stick” enough to walls to climb them without artificial adhesion.
At the University of California, San Diego a robot with 3 legs was 3D printed with the aim of creating a very facile robot that can move over rough terrain. Its structure was a combination of soft and hard materials 3D printed together.
Electric Violin
For about $7,000 you can have a custom electric violin made by French company 3Dvarius. All of the body parts are created with a 3D printer.
A Tortoise Shell for a Tortoise!
Freddy, a female tortoise, experienced a life-altering event when she suffered severe burns during a forest fire in Brazil, resulting in the loss of 85% of her shell. However, thanks to the collaborative efforts of veterinarians, 3D printers, and local artists, Freddy was granted a new lease on life through the creation of a 3D printed shell.
The dedicated team embarked on a unique process, capturing 49 photographs of Freddy from various angles, which served as the foundation for designing a customized prosthetic shell. This shell was meticulously printed layer by layer, comprising four interlocking pieces resembling jigsaw puzzles. The shell was crafted using corn-based plastic material.
Kayak
A Swedish based manufacturer made a kayak using recycled material, making it more sustainable and environmentally friendly than the average kayak.
3D Printers Making…3D Printers
Yup, it had to happen. It is possible to 3D print all the parts needed to make a 3D printer.
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A lot of research has been placed on the role of various bacteria in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, a less understood but perhaps equally important area of investigation and understanding is in the fungal populations in the gut that may play a role in the symptoms of IBS such as gut-brain interactions, immune-mediated reactions and visceral hypersensitivity.
If you’ve been curious about how yeast and other types of fungi may play a role in your symptoms, let’s dive in for a closer look.
READ: Yeast & IBS: What Does the Mycobiome Have to Do With Your Symptoms?
19 Of The World’s Most Overrated Foods
We have foods we love, and those we won’t touch. We all have our own likes and dislikes, but what are the most overrated foods? That was the question posed on this Reddit thread by Even_Cause_3478. There were a lot of opinions. Some made sense to us, and some were things we had never thought of before!
What is the most overrated food in your opinion?
Click for 19 Of The World’s Most Overrated Foods
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Whether you eat to live, or live to eat, let’s make sure you live to see another day! These are some of the world’s deadliest foods. They can bring on extreme symptoms, ranging from paralysis to seizures, choking and even death, so don’t go tucking these into your lunchbox. Click for 18 of the World’s Deadliest Foods: How Many Are You Eating?
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Hold onto your taste buds, because we’re about to embark on a flavor-filled adventure through the realm of beverages! Sure, we all need water to survive, but let’s be real – drinks are so much more than just basic hydration. Recently, the question of which beverages people secretly think taste awful sparked a fiery debate. Boozy elixirs, non-alcoholic refreshments, and everything in between were thrown into the mix. Brace yourself as we unveil the truth behind the drinks we pretend to love. Get ready for a wild ride of taste revelations! Read 10 Of The Worst Tasting Drinks People Pretend To Like