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How much do we know about 3D printing technology? Do we know the working principle of a 3D printer? What important applications does 3D technology have in our daily lives? How far is 3D printing from us?
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Well, to be honest, I don’t know much either, but people always need to keep learning and improving themselves, so let’s get to know and learn together!
Question 1: What is a 3D printer?
A 3D printer, also known as a three-dimensional printer, is a type of additive manufacturing technology, which is a machine for rapid prototyping. It is based on a digital model file and uses special wax materials, powdered metals or plastics and other adhesive materials to create three-dimensional objects by printing layers of adhesive materials. Currently, 3D printers are used to manufacture products. The technology constructs objects layer by layer. The principle of a 3D printer is to input data and raw materials into the 3D printer, which will produce the product layer by layer according to the program.
3D printers can stack thin layers in various ways. The biggest difference between a 3D printer and a traditional printer is that the “ink” it uses is real raw materials. The stacking of thin layers can take many forms, and the types of media that can be printed range from various plastics to metals, ceramics, and rubber-like substances. Some printers can even combine different media, allowing the printed object to be hard on one end and soft on the other.
1. Some 3D printers use an “inkjet” method, where a printer nozzle sprays a very thin layer of liquid plastic onto a casting tray, which is then treated under ultraviolet light. The casting tray then descends a tiny distance to allow the next layer to stack on top.
2. Others use a technique called “fused deposition modeling,” where plastic is melted inside the nozzle and then deposited in layers to form the object. 3. Some systems use a technique called “laser sintering,” where powdered particles are used as the printing medium. The powder is spread on the casting tray to form a very thin layer, which is then melted into a specified shape and solidified by a liquid adhesive that is sprayed on.
4. Some utilize an electron beam in a vacuum to melt powdered particles. When encountering complex structures with holes and cantilevers, a gel or other material needs to be added to provide support or occupy space. This part of the powder will not be melted, and can be washed away with water or air flow to create voids.
Question 2: In which fields is 3D printing applied?
Aerospace Technology
Engineers at GE’s China R&D Center are still deeply engaged in researching 3D printing technology. Just before this, they successfully “printed” important components of an aircraft engine using a 3D printer. Compared to traditional manufacturing, this technology will reduce the cost of the component by 30% and shorten the manufacturing cycle by 40%. Before they could celebrate this achievement, they hurriedly embarked on a new journey. Little known is that they have been secretly developing 3D printing technology for ten years.
An engineer named Jim Smith also used 3D printing technology to create the world’s first 3D printed kayak, which successfully launched. This “kayak” took him 42 days to build using a homemade large 3D printer. It is 5 meters long, assembled from 28 pieces of colorful ABS plastic, with each part made by the 3D printer and then bolted together.
The manufacturing process seems simple, but it is quite labor-intensive. From planning to completion took Smith nearly 6 years, with the final adjustments before launching taking 40 days. The finished product is 5.08 meters long, 0.52 meters wide, and weighs 29.29 kilograms, with the ABS parts weighing 26.48 kilograms, the brass threaded components weighing 0.86 kilograms, and the bolts weighing 2.068 kilograms, with a total cost of only $500.
3D printing technology has matured, and in the future, it is possible for people to use it to build houses, cars, and even more.
Music Industry
To explore more applications of 3D printers, Rickard Dahlstrand used a Lulzbot 3D printer to create unique art. At the 2013 Stockholm Art Hack Festival, the Lulzbot 3D printer not only printed the festival’s logo for participating artists and hackers but also performed a project that printed visualized music while playing classical music. The principle of the Lulzbot 3D printer printing visualized music is that the movement of the stepper motors can run at different speeds, with the pitch of the sound determining the speed, thus controlling the printing process. Three motors represent one track each, and two motors control the Z-axis movement.
Medical Industry
An 83-year-old man suffering from chronic bone infection received a jawbone made by a 3D printer, marking the world’s first case of using a 3D printed product for human skeletal replacement.
Cultural Heritage Sector
Researchers at Drexel University in the United States have created 3D models suitable for research by 3D scanning fossils, preserving all external features of the original fossils while scaling them down for better study.
Museums often use many complex substitutes to protect original works from environmental or accidental damage, while replicas can convey the impact of art or cultural relics to more distant audiences. The Smithsonian Museum used a large 3D printed substitute to replace the original Thomas Jefferson statue, which was to be exhibited in Virginia.
Architecture
In the construction industry, engineers and designers have embraced the use of 3D printed architectural models, which are fast, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and beautifully made. They fully meet the designer’s requirements while saving a lot of materials.
The Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague took place from March 24 to 25, 2014, with heads of state from various countries attending. Amidst their busy schedules, they also participated in interesting gatherings or activities, such as the state banquet hosted by King of the Netherlands attended by President Xi Jinping and his wife, while President Obama visited DUS’s 3D printing exhibition to see the world’s largest 3D printed building.
The 3D printing exhibition is currently preparing to print the world’s largest 3D printed house using a 3D printer named KamerMaker, which can reach up to 6 meters and be housed in a discarded shipping container. The KamerMaker functions similarly to a desktop 3D printer, extruding thermoplastic in continuous layers. It can also be used to print smaller objects, such as benches.
Manufacturing Industry
The manufacturing industry also requires many 3D printed products, as 3D printing is significantly better than traditional manufacturing in terms of cost, speed, and precision. Moreover, 3D printing technology is very suitable for mass production, so the manufacturing industry can benefit greatly from using 3D technology, even quality control is no longer an issue.
For example, Microsoft’s 3D modeling printing workshop prints models after product design, allowing the design and manufacturing departments to better improve products and create superior products. It is not to say that your car is printed by a 3D printer (though perhaps one day this could be possible), but in the automotive industry, during safety testing and other work, some non-critical components are replaced with 3D printed products, pursuing efficiency while reducing costs.
Food Industry
Yes, it is “printing” food. Researchers have begun experimenting with printing chocolate. Perhaps in the near future, many identical-looking foods will be “printed” using food 3D printers. Of course, by then, handmade food may be much more expensive.
Consumer Goods
Accessories and Jewelry
This is the broadest market. In the future, whether it is your personalized pen holder, a phone case with your half-body relief, or a unique ring that you and your partner own, all of these could be printed using a 3D printer. In fact, you can achieve this even without waiting for the future.
Beauty and Skincare
3D printing technology may also help beauty enthusiasts with cosmetic surgery. Perhaps the most effective treatment for acne in the future will be achieved through 3D printing technology! Not only acne but also areas like freckle removal and skin whitening may also utilize 3D printing technology!
Question 3: Is 3D printing safe?
3D printing technology is becoming increasingly popular, applied in fields such as medicine, construction, and military, and even starting to be used in households. However, as this technology is gradually being widely used, its dangers are also becoming more apparent. According to the Hong Kong “Oriental Daily,” American research shows that home 3D printers release a large number of toxic ultrafine particles (UFP) when operating indoors, with harmful levels comparable to smoking, affecting human health.
Market 3D printers first heat plastic and then spray it out through a nozzle to create the design model. This process is similar to industrial production and releases toxic substances, but general home users do not use protective gear. The particles float in the air, easily inhaled into the lungs or even the brain, and excessive accumulation may lead to lung diseases, blood and nervous system diseases, and even death.
Researchers tested five popular 3D printers on the market and found that they released an astonishing number of ultrafine particles. For example, using PLA polymer for low-temperature printing releases a minimum of 20 billion particles per minute; at high temperatures with other materials, the number can reach up to 200 billion particles per minute. The particle release from these 3D printers is comparable to having a stove, burning scented candles, or smoking indoors.
In addition to health issues, 3D printing also raises public safety concerns. A Canadian man uploaded a video showing how he used a 3D printed handgun as a model to print a plastic rifle, which successfully fired a bullet, but the barrel exploded after firing.
Question 4: How far is 3D printing from us?
Since the day 3D printing technology was introduced, some have predicted that it may change human society entirely. Today, 3D printing technology is maturing, and people have already experienced the convenience it brings to life. However, the widespread use of 3D printing technology today still seems like a distant dream. How far is 3D printing from us?
According to foreign media reports, a hospital in New York recently used 3D printing technology to “print” a heart for a baby with congenital heart disease, allowing doctors to devise a perfect surgical plan rather than deciding how to operate only after opening the baby’s chest, greatly increasing the success rate of the surgery, with costs only in the thousands of dollars.
Coincidentally, 3D printing technology is also applied in other areas. A group of enthusiastic amateur rocket enthusiasts recently used 3D printing technology to create a miniature rocket that can soar to an altitude of 20,000 meters, costing only £6,000. Japan has also recently announced plans to use 3D printing technology to create maps designed for the visually impaired.
From these examples, it seems that 3D printing technology has entered various aspects of social life. However, for 3D printing technology to be widely applied, there is still a long way to go. What are the reasons? According to Toutiao’s forward-looking analysis, there may be several aspects.
Material Limitations
3D printing technology currently requires materials that are quite limited. These materials must possess both flexibility and stability, being able to be ground into powder or ink for use while remaining strong during shaping. As of now, only a few types of materials meet these conditions, and the limitations of materials make the development of 3D printing technology difficult.
Although people believe that more affordable and abundant printing materials will be discovered in the future, for now, 3D printing remains an expensive toy.
Intellectual Property
If humanity one day solves the material and cost issues of 3D printing technology, and it enters every household, then intellectual property issues may become a significant headache. Because 3D printing only requires a template, it is easy to find a free template in the internet age. If users privately print an item and make unlimited copies, how can individuals or groups who own the intellectual property of that item protect their interests?
Ethical Boundaries
3D printing may bring the most severe social issues, as it is possible to print living tissues that function like human organs using 3D printing technology and materials, potentially even better than the original organs. Organ replacement and the trade of 3D printed organs are foreseeable futures. How will we address this? Using 3D printing technology to artificially extend life undoubtedly challenges nature.
Cost Issues
In fact, this is the easiest problem to solve in 3D printing technology. If the material issues can be resolved, the costs of 3D printing technology will naturally decrease. However, whether it can be popularized is another matter.
Some say that 3D printing technology will be the third industrial revolution for humanity, but according to the current situation, 3D printing technology can only be applied on a small scale. If one day 3D printing technology can enter the homes of ordinary people, it may not just be an industrial revolution.
(Reprinted from Guokr, Author: Toutiao Forward-looking)
Dear friends, have you learned something about 3D printing? I have certainly benefited a lot! That’s all for today’s WeChat, see you tomorrow!
Today’s editor: Chen Mengjie