Week 11 – Future Tech Review

3D printing is the process of making design files into three-dimensional hard objects. “The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive process, an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced cross-section of the object.” (3D Printing, 2022). It uses different types of material loaded into a 3D printer, where it adds layers onto the drawing board and creates the object in the file. 

It can be run by different 3D printing software of the printer’s choice, most recommend Tinkercad, free software that works in your browser, you don’t have to install it on your computer. 3D printing is available to the public! Many libraries, schools, universities, and community centers now offer public access to their printers, there are also affordable companies that sell them so that way you can print objects in your own home!

Charles Hull created stereolithography, the first commercial rapid prototyping technology commonly known as 3D printing! This technology was made for research and development labs and tool rooms, now it can create anything a digital file sets its mind to. 3D printing helps solve a lot of issues for engineers, it helps with time management, cost reduction, and risk mitigation. It can also cause some drawbacks of replacing manufacturing jobs, restricted build size, and limited materials. 

3D printing grows in popularity as technology advances, especially in the medical field. It is used for the development of new surgical cutting and drill guides, prosthetics as well as patient-specific replicas of bones, organs, and blood vessels. It can help medical workers get what they need a lot faster than ordering something that they need; 3D printing helps create custom things for specific individuals and improves the understanding of patients and improves comfort levels by allowing interaction with prints that are designed for their anatomy.

References

3DPrinting. (2022, May 31). What is 3D printing? 3D Printing. Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://3dprinting.com/what-is-3d-printing/

National Inventors Hall of Fame. (2022). NIHF inductee Charles Hull, who invented the 3D printer. NIHF Inductee Charles Hull, Who Invented the 3D Printer. Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://www.invent.org/inductees/charles-hull#:~:text=Charles%20Hull%20is%20the%20inventor,printing%20applications%20are%20seemingly%20endless.

Solving the top engineering problems with 3D printing: Forecast 3D. GKN FORECAST 3D. (2019, May 7). Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://www.forecast3d.com/solving-the-top-engineering-problems

Tractus3D. (2021, November 1). 3D printing in healthcare – the future of healthcare is here. Tractus3D. Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://tractus3d.com/used-by/branches/healthcare/#:~:text=3D%20printing%20is%20used%20for,lead%20times%20and%20lower%20costs.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of 3D printing? TWI. (2022). Retrieved July 16, 2022, from https://www.twi-global.com/technical-knowledge/faqs/what-is-3d-printing/pros-and-cons