Report on 3D Printing

In this report I am reporting on the technology of 3D printing.  3D printing will be one of the topics that the Immersion Education Summit 2015 will be covering this year.  More information on this summit can be located by clicking on this link Immersive Education 2015

3D printing is a technology that has been around for a while but has recently gained more popularity.  3D printing is essentially using a piece of hardware called a printer that can build a real 3D model.  The printer uses one or multiple jets that disperse a metallic, plastic, organic, and or chemical composite to build a model generated by auto cad.

2D printing is common and is a mainstream technology.  3D printing is a recent development that can turn models built on different software platforms like auto cad into real physical 3d material.  Currently most people who use 3D printing must develop the model on their own which requires a deep understanding on the different software's that build 3D models.  3D printers can come in small sizes that can easily fit on your desktop and can also take up the size of large rooms.

3D printers have been commonly used by the scientific and or engineering community to help build real models.  3D printers are now becoming available to regular consumers who can now print basic consumer products.   One of the large challenges of introducing 3D printers to the broad consumer market, is the fact it can take hours to print a small object, and in order to print sizable objects, you need an industrial scale printer.  One small mistake in the design developed using the design software, and you will need to wait many hours to print a new object.

The 3D printer itself is not complicated or hard to understand, there are many components, and the components are not anything out of the ordinary.  Most of the components of a 3D printer have been in existence for decades.  3d printers generally have a frame that help hold the rail that the printing jet is situated on.  The printing jet will have 1 or more nozzles, there will be a fan to help cool the fan and the material the fan is printing.  There will be a base plate where the material will print out on, some advanced 3D printers have more components, like entire HVAC systems or additional molding equipment.

The materials 3D printers can print vary significantly.  3D printer can print metalloid, PVC composites, and some organic material.  Many new types of printing material is still in research and development, there was a story of an organic organ that was printed.  There are now retail outlets that sell 3D printers and their prices can start at $150+.  3D printers can have the ability to turn almost every house and office into a miniature factory.  The cost of maintaining 3D printers is pretty low and the printing material is fairly cheap.  See more a  more detailed video and visual description of 3D printing here!