LET'S SPEAK 3D PRINTING!
Building Fundamental Technologies
BACK TO REVIEWING 3D-PRINTING RESEARCH
SAVINGS
The emergence of automation transformed manufacturing; now the combination of computers, robotics, and many other disciplines allows us to fabricate small plastic objects at home as easily as we print recipes on our home inkjet and laser printers.
Crafting Educational
Tools
Many schools are starting to develop programs on 3D printing and its remarkable potential. These programs test new innovations and their applications - from 3D-printed foods at Cornell to printed plastic boats at the University of Washington.
A single 3D printer in a school can be used to create more 3D printers so that they become more available to educators and students.
By using 3D printers, teachers can create lab equipment and classroom examples for several courses, from solar-powered water-electrolysis systems to 3D-printed models of artwork or animal bones.
Department for Education and Child Development:
3D printing - the possibilities are endless!
Expanding 3D-Printing Options
Since the 3D printers that solidified objects in a vat of liquid photopolymer first became available, the quality of resolution and detail in 3D-printed products has improved hundreds of times.
Companies are driving ahead with new systems capable of achieving lower-cost operation, greater speed, and greater build volume, as well as working with a wider range of materials. Researchers are continually developing strategies for depositing materials one layer at a time to transform a virtual model into physical form.
As "www.3ders.com" wrote in its article on August 4, 2017 "Gartner's 2017 3D printing Hype Cycle": "Leading research company Gartner is well known for its hype cycle tool, which charts the maturity and adoption of a particular technology in graphical form. The company has recently published the 2017 edition of its 3D Printing Hype Cycle, focussing on the main trends in the 3D printing industry." This is one of the most detailed analysis to use for learning purposes.
CONTENT
Building Fundamental Technologies
Creating 3D-printed
electronics
Researchers at the University of Warwick have created conductive polycaprolactone (PCL) - based filament by mixing carbon black into melted plastic before it's extruded as filament; they call the result carbomorph. Carbomorph can be used to print circuits directly into objects, eliminating the need for wires and conduits in traditionally manufactured electronic devices. Carbomorph's physical properties also allow it to be integrated into other objects and 3D-printable materials, creating sensors directly within the object itself.
