3D Printing that Builds More than Ideas

Let’s start with the metaphor of printing ink on paper. As the cartridge moves across the page, a layer of pigment creates the letter z. Now let’s say this printer does the same pass again and again, over the same letter z pattern. Eventually, there would be so many layers of ink that the letter would start to rise vertically off the page. Now imagine the “ink” is ceramic, steel, concrete, foam or titanium and instead of printing on flat paper, the printer works inside a three-dimensional box. Layer after layer, complex shapes can be created in a very short amount of time. That’s the basic concept of 3D printing (also known as additive manufacturing) and the implications are huge.

What if manufacturing companies didn’t need a large back supply of parts; they could be printed to meet demand precisely. Imagine burn victims receiving treatment with a layer of skin cells printed right over their wounds. Think of customization in almost any object you wanted, from the way your car looked to your silverware. Even homes could be completed in one day as a giant, crane like printer rapidly builds new neighborhoods. And the ideas go on and on and on…

A short video from Mashable:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx0Z6LplaMU

Making movie creatures:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY1jKz2EStw

The multiple ways it works:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing

http://techcrunch.com/2015/09/02/open-bionics-wants-to-bring-down-the-cost-of-prosthetics-with-3d-printed-robotic-hands/