Natalia Nuñez Parraga
Ms. Johnson
English
April 17, 2013
3D Printing
Have
you ever imagined that 3D printing could exist? 3D printing is a process of
making three dimensional solid objects from a digital model (Mashable). Having
your own 3D printer is easy but also an economical choice if you decide to have
one at your office, a lab or in a design shop. These innovating machine can
help people communicate their ideas or concepts and share with everyone else
and, why not? Maybe deliver your product to the market.
It
all started in the year of 1976 when the inkjet printers where just invented.
Later on, after several changes, the technology of printing with ink was
transformed to printing with materials by a man whose name is Charles Hull.
This technology has been modified by industries and been developed ever since
to the 3D printer we know today. The
purpose of building this machine was so to allow people to test their designs
before they invest a large amount of money in the real product.
Now
a day, many uses for the 3D printer exist. Some of the fields this technology
is used are in jewelry, footwear, industrial design, architecture, engineering,
medical industries and numerous of other fields. Also as already mentioned, the
printers are used to create personal objects and are accessible and easy to
manage. In the area of medicine and dental care, 3D printers have contributed
incredible by creating body parts that really work as the real ones. Scientists
engineer a miniature functional kidney that is able to filter blood and produce
diluted urine in an animal ("Scaffold
development…). The printer can also create objects made of gold and silver,
making it a less expensive option for jewelry designers.
It
is surprising how simple the 3D printer realizes its work. Instead of using
ink, the machine uses the necessary materials and applies it layer by layer
until the final product is done. A laser
has to be applied to each layer so the material solidifies. The vat, or container,
of material can be found as the same way as a normal vat of ink is
purchased. Some printers use one or more
materials in the same impression of the object, like plastic, resin and
titanium.
These
machines are very impressive, and what stands out the most is that today,
anyone can own one as they can own a normal ink printer. It has a high
productivity and resolution, with a remote from a tablet and smartphone
connectivity (Home). Industries have
developed several of these machines, so you can find many companies that own
this product. If you want to purchase one you can count on many choices and
find the one that best adapts to your requisites and preferences.
References
"Mashable." Mashable.
2013. Free base. 17 Apr. 2013 <http://mashable.com/category/3d-printing/>.
"Home." Home.
3D Systems, Inc. 17 Apr. 2013 <http://printin3d.com/>.
"Scaffold development using 3D printing with a
starch-based polymer." ScienceDirect.com.
T.Rowe Price. 17 Apr. 2013 <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0928493102000127>.
