3D printing or additive manufacturing, has been evolving since 1981. What started out as a process for making basic simple objects can now design complex engine parts for aircraft! Does this mark the beginning of the third industrial revolution?
WHAT IS 3D PRINTING
Today’s 3D printing can build a three-dimensional object from a computer-aided design (CAD) model, by adding material layer by layer from any model or image.
The old manufacturing model took cutouts from stock material, not only slower but wasteful. Additive manufacturing also allows for the use of materials and designs never possible before with old methods.
The Airbus A350 XWB has more than 1,000 parts made with 3D printed materials like aluminum, titanium, and stainless steel, an industry first.
APPLICATIONS OF 3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY NOW
Many industries from defense, automotive, aerospace, medical and food are benefiting from 3D printing more than ever before. Beehex which started out printing food for NASA astronauts, is working on mass producing a pizza maker called 3D chief.
Pizza on demand, bad news for my waste line! But seriously this process of printing is already disrupting 25 other industries not mentioned in this article! So many 3D applications – so little time. The future will be exciting indeed.
FUTURE TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS
The future will only be limited by the imaginations of the creative minds pushing this technology into the limelight. Like i have said about the many new technologies before on this blog, one day we will wake up and its all around us!
As more AI robots use this evolving technology, there will be jobs displaced, no stopping that! But as 3D printing gets cheaper and easier to use more industries and products will bloom.
Here is a great article by CBINSIGHTS and the virtual endless possibilities that await us with this 3D technology!