The use of 3D printers has revolutionized many industries across the world. It has been used for creating fashion accessories, car parts, artificial organs, smartphone cases, medical equipment and more. Since the first working 3D printer was created in 1984, the technology has grown significantly. Below are some creative examples of 3D printing.
1. 3D Printed Human Organs
One of the best ways 3D printing has helped society is from the ability to print 3D organs using patients’ cells. In the future, this technology will help patients who need urgent organ transplants. They will not have to wait for a donor. Once the organ is printed, the patient’s living cells will be coated on the organ before transplantation. In the future, many patients will not have to die while waiting for an organ to be available. Doctors will be able to print out certain organs safely and efficiently.
2. Automotive Parts
Another exciting use 3D printers can offer is printing automotive parts for vehicles. Using a special printer and software, the equipment will use liquid resin and laser sintering to create usable automotive parts. Ford Motor Company has used 3D printers to create many prototypes for their vehicles. They have successfully printed parts such as brake rotors, cylinder heads, vents and shift knobs with ease.
3. Aerospace Industry
NASA has experimented with 3D printing and recently created a rocket engine injector that passed an experimental “hot” fire test. Because of the changes they made to the printing process, the recent injector was able to generate 10 times more rocket thrust than any 3D printed injectors they made in the past.
4. Guns
The ability to create a gun using a 3D printer comes with some controversy. An organization called Defense Distributed recently used 3D printers to print a gun called the “Liberator”. The 3D printed plastic gun is made using 16 parts. Fifteen of those parts were made using a 3D printer. The body of the gun can be printed overnight.
5. Prosthetics
Another use of 3D printer technology is the ability to print prosthetics that are custom-made for a patient. This use of 3D printing technology makes updating prosthetics, especially for children, quicker and more affordable. In Belgium, medical researchers were able to replace the jaw of an elderly woman using a printed model of her lower mandible. One day after her surgery, she was able to swallow and speak normally.
6. Helping Your Senses
In Japan, a creative agency is working with Yahoo! to help blind children with the use of 3D printer technology. They are helping the children search online using a machine called “Hands-on Search”. The device is shaped like a cloud and uses voice recognition technology with a 3D printer to help transform voice searches into touchable, physical objects.
These are just some of the ways a 3D printer can be used. As 3D printer technology advances, the uses will increase significantly. A good place for additional resources is the argylematerials.com website.
