3D Printing Synthesis

The world we live in now is rapidly changing. Technology is constantly being innovated and the possibilities of what humans can achieve seem endless. Because of the fast pacing society we have, we want things done quickly and effectively. This ties in to the fact that people have different types of needs and there are numerous things that we have created to fulfill a great deal of them. But is there something that can knock out many of these needs simply by itself? The answer is 3D printing. Hunger, disease, consumer’s demands, these are all types of things 3D printing can contribute to, or at least have the potential to solve. These very issues that 3D printing aims to address is one of the reasons I chose this topic. From what started as clicking a recommended video on YouTube, I instantly became amazed to see the actual products of what people have made using these 3D printers. This technology will have a great impact on our future and because of the fact that it’s not limited to a single area, is very interesting as well.

Also known as additive manufacturing, 3D printing the process in which you use extracts to produce three-dimensional models of almost any shape by printing consecutive layers of materials. The concept started in the 1980’s and was called Rapid Prototyping (RP) technologies. It was first thought of as a way to print early developing prototypes in industries as a more cost-effective method. This has then evolved to our current more capable and advanced 3D printers we have today. The 3D printing process works by using a virtual design that is made in a CAD (Computer Aided Design) file using a 3D modeling program with the use of a 3D scanner. It then makes a virtual copy of the object which then is put into a modeling program later be printed for a final result. My research about this topic that is shown throughout this paper helped me to answer the question: How can 3D printers be used effectively for businesses and the general public alike?

3D printing contributes to the medical field in different ways. While the future of the medical field is improving, so is 3D printing’s contribution to the medical field as well. In an article entitled “3-D Printing for Blood Recycling, Medical Developments” it addresses how surgeons are using

3-D printer technology [that] can take scan data or CT data from a head scan or MRI s can and flow that into a 1:1 model, a solid part or a visualized part of a patient, so that the surgeon can practice on the model with a high degree of confidence before they actually operate on the patient on the operation table (Hock).

These printers can make models specifically tailored to a patient’s body part that will be operated on. This makes the whole procedure much more planned and accurate. The patients will also have less time on the operating table as a result of this well prepared operation. Hock also illustrates that 3D printers can be used to recycle blood from patients undergoing surgery that do not wish to receive it from donors. This shows that 3D printers can print biological materials, such as cells, and reproduce them. The replication of cells is also shown in the article “How 3D printing could revolutionize burn treatment” by verifying that "Someone will be able to take their own cells, and incorporate it into [that] printer and have skin graft printed that are made especially for them" (Trowbridge). With this technology in effect, printers could definitely be used in underdeveloped countries, where even the smallest wound could kill them. With the ability to print cells, organs and skin could be printed to replace damaged parts of the body. The possibilities are endless. Despite these amazing feats 3D printing can achieve, it is still rarely used because of the financial cost of the machines to be maintained in hospitals. The article “The Future of Medicine Is Now in 3D” plunges deeper into this barrier for the medical industry by saying that “High-resolution printers run from about $40,000 to upward of $1 million, and federal funding is increasingly difficult to obtain. The National Institutes of Health awarded money in the 2013 fiscal year to only 17 percent of applicants, the lowest rate since at least 1997” (Knight). Although standard 3D printers can be very affordable, the ones used in hospitals have a skyrocketing price that needs fundraising in order to obtain because the government simply won't fund enough money for the printers.

3D Printing plays a big role in the manufacturing industry. Printers can build larger components; have better precision, finer resolution at higher speeds, and lower costs. It is ready to become a practical alternative to conventional manufacturing process and the productions of these models are increasing as well. The process is very efficient and in an article entitled “Efficiencies of improved 3-D printing inspire innovation” it states that

advances will shift 3-D printing from a prototyping tool to a production one. Overall, the market for 3-D printed parts will grow to US $8.4 billion in 2025, of which $4.4 billion will be for production parts rather than prototypes (Vicari).

3D printing has the potential to reshape the supply chain and economics of manufacturing processes while expanding the range of manufactured materials and structures. In the article, Vicari furthers the idea that parts can be designed to fit perfectly and because this process is simpler, costs of transportation and fuel will drastically be reduced and will save companies money. Far from being mainstream, current printers do have potential to exceed consumers’ demands in the future. This potential is clearly evident, however it seems far off before this process will be mainstream. This is shown in an article entitled “How 3-D Printing Will Transform Manufacturing” which explaining that

[They’re] not going to see 3-D printers replace lathes, mills, welding machines and presses anytime soon, certainly not for volume production. But 3-D printing is changing the face of collaborative design and manufacturing process, shrinking lead times, creating previously impossible to manufacture products, and leading to mass personalization (Davidson).

3-D printer would currently be used on a smaller scale with custom designs and personalization. It does have the potential to do bigger and greater things in the manufacturing industry and if industries gradually accept the potential of them. Eventually products that are cost heavy today can be created more accurately, effectively, and with a cost reduction. 3D printing in now relatively new and small scaled. The article “3-D Printing Keeps Growing” also points this out as well as explaining how "[They] do not see 3-D printing as a threat to traditional high-volume manufacturing, but it is certainly competitive with lower volume production that feature very complex design elements, like the jet fuel nozzles” (Docksai). Docksai interprets that despite this lack of use now, some manufacturers are looking to cut production costs and are increasingly achieving it by turning to 3D printing. It also brings up that 3D printing can bring surprising new jobs to the table to move alongside the rapid need for 3D printers. The advantages of 3-D printing over other manufacturing technologies could lead to profound changes in the way many things are designed, developed, produced, and supported.

The affordability and usage of 3D printers to the public are essential. 3D printing has evolve from massive printers that could only print specific materials, to the vast amount that is possible today. The prices were generally expensive at first and only large companies could acquire them, but now smaller versions for much less price have arisen. In an article entitled "Exploring the 3D Printing Opportunity” it supports this by explaining how 3D printers “open the floodgates to a vast range of applications, from customized automotive and aviation components to prosthetics and orthopaedic implants [...] People living in remote areas could manufacture their own things" (Bird). 3D printing has become more affordable recently and it changes import and export dynamics because people will be able to build what they need at a fair cost. Some people in other parts of the world can live off their own with 3D printers at hand. Printers require the materials to make the products as well as the ability to use the machine as well. In an article entitled “What Yoda Taught Me About 3D Printing” it provides that drawbacks of consumers who want to use these printers in the comfort of their own home. It articulates that “The big drawback for consumers is that 3-D printers are still tricky to use and very limited in what they can make. The objects they produce are not just fairly crude but quite small, since the thermoplastic will warp at larger sizes” (Leber). 3D printers themselves are very affordable but currently they are very complex to use which limits the usability of the printer by a margin. So, even with the ability to own these revolutionary devices, they cannot be fully used by the public unless they make the controls simpler to use. In an article entitled “By the Numbers: A Big Forecast For 3-D Printers” in does in depth about 3D printing’s progress by saying “Growth will accelerate as companies develop simple tools that let consumers design and create 3-D products, and as a growing body of users finds 3-D killer apps that [people] cannot live without” (Brown). This provides reasoning that 3D printing is still new and developing and that in the future it will be a viable object to use for consumers but currently manufacturers and small companies take advantage of the 3D printing technology. Consumers simply aren’t interested as much as the industry wants and much has of it has to do with it still being relatively new. The article concludes that if people see the products of 3D printing they will accept it along with the idea of being able to customize the models to their liking.

3D Printers can be utilized to make 3D printed food as well. Being able to print any food with any shape would be a great feat, but they’re not quite there yet. However, 3D printing food is using its developing technology to feed soldiers. In an article entitled “Army Eyes 3-D Printed Food For Soldiers” it explores this subject more by stating “They would be able to have either powdered or liquid matrices that are very nutrient dense, that they have on demand that they can take and eat immediately to fill that need" (Shahani).With the involvement of 3D printing, soldiers can get the nutrition and food they need with something compact as well as having actual flavor embedded into the product. The article does explain further on that this is still in testing for roughly 10 years. This could solve many problems facing soldiers constantly on the move, given it works successfully. This ties in with another article named “Will 3D Printers Make Food Sustainable?” by sharing the thought that 3D printed food does have its issues. The article explains that “Livestock farmers don't like it because it threatens their jobs, but [they’re] not going to get rid of all conventional production overnight. Global demand for meat is rising all the time, so this cultured meat might help satisfy only that additional demand" (“Will 3D printers make food”). Despite 3D printing food and it’s tremendous potential there are costs to it as well. Jobs would not only be taken away by farmers but chefs, and restaurants as well. If people can just make their own food, there would be no point in investing in restaurants. This could devastate the economy even more so.

All of my research throughout this essay put together in order to answer the question: How Can 3D Printers Be Used Effectively? I used various sub questions to help find the answer to this as well. They were: How can 3D contribute to the medical field? What is 3D printing’s role in the manufacturing industry? How affordable and easy to use are 3D printers to the public? and finally: How can 3D printers be utilized to make food? Given how complex yet efficient 3D printers are by being able to print modifiable designs layer by layer into a physical model made by countless materials, 3D printers can be associated with many different industries and topics. TrowBridge is my most compelling source because talks about using 3D printers to make cells. This makes me believe that 3D printing really will have a big impact on the world in the future because printing cells seems so outlandish but to see that it’s actually being put into fruition today is very inspiring

Others will say that 3D printing is too cost heavy to rely on or to invest in for the future. They believe this because despite having the capability to do great things, the costs to not only maintain, but to get the materials needed and money needed to buy the real printer will keep people’s check books heavy. The cost to have these machines in hospitals and schools is detrimental as well as buying the materials or “printer inc” will be very costly as well considering 3D printers don’t usually print more using plastic, metals, and other substances besides paper. All of this is true, however it does depend on what you’re trying to make and with what materials. As of now, 3D printers are more used for companies and people trying to explore its possibilities. They are willing to invest the money it requires. Since 3D printers aren’t used so often by the public and because the concept is generally new, there is no doubt that the prices be high. Given time and consumers needs, the price will go down. Also hospitals and schools around the world use 3D printers, but many of them only have a few or if only, one. But technically, that’s is all they need if they invest in a high processing 3D printer that can work on the clock.

The ability Using 3D printers is important for the world today because they're used to supply the demands and needs of people of around the world. Even if you haven’t touched a 3D printer, you've at least touched something that was made because of one. 3D printers can make specifically shaped pieces to replaces broken one and make them fully operational. In today’s society, where we need things done quickly and effectively, this is very important. If people understand the relevance to 3D printing in society, positive and negative, they will be more likely to become interested and involved in this new process that can evolve into something greater. In today’s world, things are always changing at a rapid pace. Whether people like it or not, they cannot deny 3D printers current and potential success. If we, as a society, do take chances with new technology that we are wiping out any of its chances of success before we even try it. By conducting this research, I believe that such devices that will bridge the gap between cyberspace and reality will play a huge part in the Second Digital Revolution.