2013 has been a big year for advancements in the 3D printing industry. From salt igloos to satellites, 3D printing is being put to the test. Many industries including food, fashion, and aerospace to name a few, have been involved in 3D printing. Lets take a look at some of the impressive and noteworthy successes that have been printed this year:
Satellites & Aerospace Technology
KySat-2 Mini Satellite (CubeSat)
3D printed using SLS and launched into orbit in 2013, the KySat-2 satellite is made up of a new carbon fibre blend material that can withstand the harsh environments of space.
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3D Printed UAV by Area-I and Solid Concepts
PTERA is a scale 737 unmanned aerial vehicle. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D Printing technology from Solid Concepts allowed the ailerons, fuel tank, control surfaces and flaps to be manufactured more quickly and inexpensively.
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Textiles & Fabrics
Cosyflex 3D Printed Underwear
Think 3D printing is limited to hard plastics and metal? Think again. Tamicare has 3D printed ladies underwear (in three seconds!) using various types of liquid polymers such as natural latex and textile fibres such as cotton. What does this mean for 3D printing? The world of 3D printing materials is expanding, and no-sew custom clothing is becoming more feasible.
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Shoes, Clothing & Fashion
Nike Vapor Laser Talon Football Cleat
From supermodels to football stars, 3D printed clothing is a hot fashion trend. Shoes like the above Nike Vapor Laser Talon are now using 3D printing. Selective Laser Sintering technology was used to create this ultra lightweight cleat.
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Consumer Electronics
3D Printed Audio Speaker by Cornell University
Cornell graduate student Apoorva Kiran holds the 3D printed speaker. Photo credit: Jason Koski/Cornell University
The components for this speaker including magnet, cone, and electrical components were 3D printed and assembled. While this is a small product, it shows that 3D printing capabilities are getting closer to printing fully integrated, multi-materials.
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3D Printed Camera
Thingiverse, the well-known website where you can download plans for 3D printing gadgets, has a fully functioning SLR camera! The camera can print in 15 hours, and be assembled in one.
Print Your Own Food
Printers like the Foodini have taken 3D printing to the food industry, and possibly home countertops. With the ability to print pasta, chocolate and cheese, there is much more in the future for 3D printed food.
First Life-Size Structure Printed out of Salt
Photo Credit: Emerging Objects
The “Saltygloo” was an experiment in 3D printing and made completely from locally harvested salt. The form of the igloo-like structure was inspired by the Inuit igloo. The feasibility of this structure shows the impressive potential in using other recyclable and renewable materials in 3D printing.
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Medical Advancements
3D Printed Eye Cells
The University of Cambridge has successfully 3D printed living retinal cells from adult rats. This is an impressive step forward for using 3D printing in regenerative medicine.
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3D printed Face Prosthetic
Eric Moger, Right: With girlfriend Karen Hunger. Photo: Geoff Pugh
A partial prosthetic was created for Eric Moger after he had a massive tumor removed from his face. The prosthetic was created from a scan of his skull and then 3D printed.
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Casts
Photo Credit: Jake Evill and Cortex Cast systems
The Cortex Exoskeleton is an example of a custom fitted cast that has been 3D printed. This awesome cast is not bulky and is shower friendly.
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3D Printed Bionic Ear
For the medical industry, using 3D printing technology to create organs is a huge interest and their successes have been growing. This year, printed from an off-the-shelf 3D printer, a bionic ear was created that can hear better than human ears! This is just one example of a fully functional organ created through 3D printing.
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World’s First 3D Printed Metal Gun
Solid Concepts used Selective Laser Sintering to create a classic, 1911 gun that has fired 50 successful rounds.
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What impressive things have you seen 3D printed?
