1-2 million people worldwide own a 3D printer, and 46% of engineering, art, or computer science students have used a 3D printer. However, the innovation doesn’t stop there. Many scientific breakthroughs and developments have given 3D printers amazing ways to shine.
Medical Care and Devices
Using the 3D printer’s capabilities for complex and layer-by-layer printing, scientists and medical specialists have been able to create medical devices that adjust to a specific person’s anatomy. Some examples of this are cranial implants that perfectly fit into someone’s skull or external prosthetic devices that are designed specifically for that person. While these innovations are incredible, they still follow the safety regulations that regular equipment does. This includes FDA and WHO regulations, as well as other tests and experiments for the medical device to function properly.
Spacecrafts and Exploration
3D printers have become a versatile machine in the world of space. An example would be SpaceX using 3D printers to construct spacecraft parts out of metal like engines, heat shields, and other important components. Metal is printed by reacting metal powders with the laser, or combining metal powders with another substance to create filament. This allows parts to be printed on demand, reduces complexity and weight, and accelerates development. Other companies, like Relatively Space, are trying to manufacture entire rockets using 3D printers, and reportedly operate using the world’s largest metal 3D printer. An example of one of these projects would be the Terran-R, launched in March of 2023.
Housing
A more advanced and recent development is the usage of 3D printers to print houses and neighborhoods. 3D-printed houses are being made and sold in multiple U.S. states like Virginia and New York. This technology uses large 3D printers to print houses out of wood, which is done by loading wood fibers into PLA to create filament, and metal, and are usually on the smaller side. These houses are easy to make, can cut housing costs, and can prove to be useful for constructing lower-income housing.
Looking Forward
3D printers continue to amaze us as we head into the late 2020s. Going into the future, many scientists have a positive outlook on the future of 3D printing and hope to see more discoveries to improve the uses and versatility of these brilliant machines. Hopes for uses of urban-facility components and biomedical advancements continue to build. We will just have to see where this technology takes us, as it paves a bright future, layer by layer.
