3D PRINTING

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>.