Your PolyJet 3D printing projects just got a whole lot easier with the advanced 3D slicer technology we’ve added in GrabCAD Print. Today, we are happy to announce that we’ve added the following capabilities under our Advanced PolyJet feature:
Today, 3D printers can create almost anything the mind can imagine – from movie props and aeroplane parts to organs and entire homes. Talk about an image makeover?! But how do we feel about 3D printed food?
Source: DinaraKasko.com
In my previous blog post, How the 3D Printed Food Industry is Growing, I mentioned that our current global food model is unsustainable; with the world’s population estimated to reach 9.8 billion by 2050 (United Nations), something needs to change. In fact, experts believe production rates need to increase by 50% before 2050.
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When it comes to automotive manufacturing, 3D printing is becoming more prominent. In fact, 3D printing and cars have a long history that’s only becoming deeper. At the moment, you’re not likely to get a car which has been made completely by any additive manufacturing companies, although there are some niche vehicles which are.
The mainstream automotive industry is adopting 3D printing in varied and more limited ways, but it’s still becoming a more integral part of making cars. It’s also important to note that automakers sometimes guard manufacturing techniques, and some automakers openly talk about them.
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The average consumer may not realize that 3D printing in automotive applications is becoming a big force. It’s more likely that most consumers have only been exposed to small-scale plastic 3D printers at the mall, high schools and colleges, or even their local public library.
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The glass industry is on the rise. According to Statista research, global demand for fabricated glass is trending upward, and expected to reach $139,900 million in 2023.
Compared to 10 years ago, that is double the market size.
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3D nanoprinting is becoming popular as the technology makes inroads into some of the most microscopic venues. Alison Kay, a consultant with Ernst and Young, recently said that we can expect 3D printing to touch nearly every industry, directly or indirectly:
There is the potential for 3D printing to revolutionize the way we make almost anything. This year, I expect it will become faster and cheaper, with new materials that enhance commercial possibilities.
If 3D printing is disruptive, nanoprinting is potentially more disruptive.
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In Switzerland, researchers and members of the Simon Fraser University research team have developed a very eco-friendly 3D printing solution that produces wireless Internet of Things (IoT) sensors that can be used and disposed of without contaminating the environment. Their strategy is to use a wood-derived cellulose material that replaces plastics and other polymeric materials that are currently used in electronics.
3D printing provides flexibility and adaptability to add or embed different functions into the 3D shapes or even textiles. This creates greater functionality and improves the overall utility of the finished part.
3D printing is changing the way we live, work and play in the modern world. Specifically, it is disrupting and transforming the way manufacturing systems works across the world, which is in turn having a direct effect on the global supply chain.
As we move through what many are calling the "Fourth Industrial Revolution" - marked by more use of 3D printing across all industries, artificial intelligence, renewable energy innovations, and enhanced global connectivity amongst other technological advances – the global supply chain is undergoing a dramatic shift.
A Wall Street Journal article in 2018 explored the then-shortcomings of 3D printing regarding the constraint that feedstock materials pose for fabrication and manufacturing.
They wrote:
Some plastics cannot be made in a form suitable for 3D printing or require specialized equipment. Metals are most commonly printed using metal powder. Since cross-contamination must be avoided, cleaning the equipment between runs of different materials is very time-consuming, so that most metal 3D printers run only one type of material.
This could be changing as researchers are now finding ways to alleviate this problem.