What once seemed like something straight out of The Jetsons has become a very common utility across all industries — 3D printing could very well revolutionize the way we manufacture, research and fix things.
Although this new(ish) form of technology is widely recognized as a way to produce mass amounts of prototypes and other forms of commerce, it's potential reaches further than that. Scientists are researching exact replicas of fossils to study dinosaurs and museums can now make copies of sculptures — in other words, fragile, important pieces of history that used to be untouchable can now be handled freely.
This also makes printing on-demand a more viable option for even small businesses, which could make manufacturing more economical and efficient. However, 3D printers are not being used just to make dozens of clones of the same product. You can create personalized novelties and decor.
Here are nine ways 3D printing is making lives easier.
Recently, an 83 year-old woman underwent the first-ever custom transplant of a lower jaw made by a 3D printer.
The patient — who can now chew and speak with ease — suffered from a chronic bone infection. Doctors were worried that at her age, reconstructive surgery could have caused complications.
Image courtesy of Flickr, sean94110
Researchers at Drexel University in Philadelphia are creating 3D scans of original fossils and then "printing" scaled down models of the fossils to study the way dinosaurs lived and moved.
The 3D-printed replicas will help researchers answer a number of questions, like the way dinosaurs moved or stood or reproduced.
Image courtesy of Flickr, e_monk
Designers using 3D printers are able to more rapidly build and test prototypes, which would allow for more time dedicated to perfecting the product before manufacturing.
Image courtesy of Flickr, Rob Stiff
Museums and historical societies are able to produce sophisticated replicas and open up archives to more visitors. It could also provide virtual exposure to collections, with less concern about damaging originals from photography and lighting.
One recent example is the Smithsonian's replica of Thomas Jefferson, which is originally placed on permanent display at his Monticello home in Virginia. The replica is the "largest 3D printed museum quality historical replica" on Earth.
Image courtesy of Flickr, e_monk
Many in the architectural, engineering and construction industries have adopted 3D printing as a way to increase innovation, reduce costs and speed up the process.
This way, 3D models of buildings can be easily created and edited as plans develop -- something that used to take a significant amount of time to make.
Image courtesy of Flickr, Steve Smith
The process of 3D printing has been speculated to potentially lower the costs and risks of manufacturing, making it more widely available to smaller businesses.
"People are no longer only happy with mass-produced products that all look the same. That is just what mass production has given them. With 3D printing you can produce en masse custom and personalized products at perhaps almost the same prices," says Peter Weijmarshausen, the CEO of Shapeways, which creates 3D objects for consumers.
Image courtesy of Flickr, Robert Scoble
Researchers have even put gourmet chocolate to the 3D printing test.
Say you're a pastry chef -- you could spend less time on an elaborate custom cake topper, still make it look exactly the way you want and have the bandwidth for more customers with this kind of technology.
Image courtesy of Flickr, marcp_dmoz
Testing cars and specific parts for safety and efficiency could become easier and quicker with 3D printing. Because printing would be on-demand, it could also be more economical.
Image courtesy of Flickr, bisgovuk
From your living room to your ring finger, customization becomes easier and more attainable to anyone with the mass manufacturing capabilities of 3D printing.
Jewelry, novelty items and home decor are just some of the things that could benefit from this technology.
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