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The Future of 3d Printing

3D printing techniques continue to advance, with developments in voxel printing allowing transparent and floating designs, as well as the emergence of 4D printing where printed materials change shape based on environmental conditions. 4D printing could enable applications like self-repairing pipes that adapt based on water temperature or flow rate. Further developments may include self-assembling printed materials that transform manufacturing by reducing warehouses and enabling localized, customized production through design-oriented printing.

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Sajith Salibha
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118 views3 pages

The Future of 3d Printing

3D printing techniques continue to advance, with developments in voxel printing allowing transparent and floating designs, as well as the emergence of 4D printing where printed materials change shape based on environmental conditions. 4D printing could enable applications like self-repairing pipes that adapt based on water temperature or flow rate. Further developments may include self-assembling printed materials that transform manufacturing by reducing warehouses and enabling localized, customized production through design-oriented printing.

Uploaded by

Sajith Salibha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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THE FUTURE OF 3D PRINTING

3D printer uses additive manufacturing (layer by layer) technique and thereby almost all of

the 3D designs can be printed using 3D printers. But there are some exceptions like scattered

or particles without any connections cannot be printed as discontinuity occurs. Considering

the example of neurons in brain or cosmic dust in space, even for prototyping these designs

newer printing methods have to be developed. It might be one of the hardest challenges in 3D

printing now and newer methods generated with conceptualizing voxel idea have been

developed. Voxel is something which constitutes an array of elements of volume as regular

grids. In the near future, transparent blocks can be printed with the help of voxel idea and

when it is being developed floating designs can be even printed using 3D printer. This

technique will help to create more naturalistic printing methods very soon. (Fast company,

2018)

[Image: MIT Media Lab/Mediated Matter Group]

Another updating trend of 3D printing is the emergence of 4D printing which uses the same

technique of 3D printing. 4D printing allows the 3D printed material to change its shape and

size in variation with the environment. It involves the rigid and variable materials within the

one 3D printed component. When these variable or expandable materials come in contact

with the changing environment it expands or shrinks accordingly and forms new shape and

dimensions. The variable materials are activated under certain conditions and act as the joints

causing the entire component to convert into a different form. Based on the variable materials

used, the adoption of shape can be varied for external conditions like water, light, heat or any
other form of energy. Technological applications could be used with this idea like self-

repairing pipes which changes its shape and diameter in accordance with the flow rate or

temperature of water flowing through the pipe. (Skylar, 2018)

Printed cube that folds [COURTESY OF SELF-ASSEMBLY LAB/MIT/STRATASYS/AUTODESK]

This technology will print self-assemble materials in near future which transforms the

manufacturing industries. Beyond that, it also has applications in medicine, clothing,

childcare products and footwear that adapts with the external conditions. The terms localised

consumer production, customised production and design oriented printing will gain

dominance in the reduced number of warehouses could be seen very soon, which leads

another industrial revolution. (4D Printing, 2018)

[Future of 3D Printing-SAJITH SALIBHA]

(Fast company, 2018). The gorgeous future of 3D printing. Retrieved on October 26, 2018

from https://www.fastcompany.com/90174994/the-gorgeous-future-of-3d-printing

(4D Printing, 2018). 4D Printing and universal Transformation. Retrieved on October 26,

2018 from http://papers.cumincad.org/data/works/att/acadia14_539.content.pdf


(Skylar, 2018). Skylar Tibbits-The Emergence of 4D Printing. Retrieved on October 26, 2018 from
https://www.ted.com/talks/skylar_tibbits_the_emergence_of_4d_printing?language=en

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