3D printing the future is here now, check out these 10 new amazing designs!
So what is actually available with 3D printing now
Face: Now you can actually print the face only a mother could love and give her the perfect present. Artist Heather Dewey-Hagborg took samples of people’s DNA from gum, hair and cigarette butts left in public places, and created 3D portraits based on their genetic makeup. The printed result isn’t an exact copy of the real person’s face, but it’s a pretty cool (and creepy) way of combining art and science.
Dress: This drafty-looking dress is made of a lightweight, flexible material. Modeled by Burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese, this nylon dress was printed by Shapeways and designed on an iPad by Michael Schmidt and Frances Bitoni. It’s made up of thousands of components that were printed to fit her body exactly, and based on the Fibonacci sequences of numbers.
Shoes: This pair of 3D printed high heels called Morphogenesis was designed by Pauline Van Dongen and made out of laser sintered nylon. She collaborated with Freedom Of Creation on the design which won a ‘Most Creative Collection’ award at the Mittelmoda 2010 event.It comes in different colors and truly defines the future of 3D printed accessories.
Cast: When Jake Evill, a recent graduate of Victoria University in New Zealand, broke his hand, he felt that his plaster cast was “archaic,” so he created a breathable, lightweight, recyclable, and washable exoskeleton that mimics the body’s trabecular, the small honeycomb-like structure that makes up your inner bone structure. The cast lets in plenty of air, which prevents that stuffy, itchy feeling.
Bike: While it doesn’t look exactly like a regular bike, the slick design would work to get you from point A to B. Durability may seem like an issue, but the bike is made from a nylon powder and claims to have the strength of a steel or aluminum bike while weighing 65% less.
Jewelry: Forget metal-smithing! Now designers can simply print their bling.This intricate bracelet is also available for sale at Shapeways, and designed by user nervoussystem. It can be printed in plastic and stainless steel, and is a top seller on Shapeways.
Guitar: Sounds great but looks very different what a great way to show off your rock skills.
Coffee Cups: These are espresso coffee cups printed out of Glazed Ceramics. The printing process takes almost a full day, and the One Cup a Day project aims to design and create 30 unique cups in 30 days.
Jaw Bone: This custom prosthetic was printed from titanium powder with a lightweight porous structure, like real bones. The patient who needed it was able to talk normally with this new jaw minutes after waking up from surgery. 3D printing is going to be huge in the medical field, where individualized parts can be printed based on scans of patients’ bodies.
Cars: Can you see the resemblance? Maybe not yet, but you will soon. Ivan Sentch, a programmer in Auckland, New Zealand, started printing a replica of a 1961 series II Aston Martin DB4, piece by piece, at his home. He’s been working on the project off-and-on since Christmas of last year, and is now finished with around 72% of the body. Once finished, he’ll make a fiberglass mold of the print.
Also see 3D Printing The Future Is Here Family Portraits
Also see Bionic Ear Successfully Created Using 3D Printer And Cow Cells
About 3D Printing
For methods of applying a 2D image on a 3D surface, see pad printing. For methods of printing 2D parallax stereograms that seem 3D to the eye, see lenticular printing and holography.
Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is a process of making a three-dimensional solid object of virtually any shape from a digital model. 3D printing is achieved using an additive process, where successive layers of material are laid down in different shapes. 3D printing is also considered distinct from traditional machining techniques, which mostly rely on the removal of material by methods such as cutting or drilling (subtractive processes).
A materials printer usually performs 3D printing processes using digital technology. The first working 3D printer was created in 1984 by Chuck Hull of 3D Systems Corp. Since the start of the 21st century there has been a large growth in the sales of these machines, and their price has dropped substantially. According to Wohlers Associates, a consultancy, the market for 3D printers and services was worth $2.2 billion worldwide in 2012, up 29% from 2011.
The 3D printing technology is used for both prototyping and distributed manufacturing with applications in architecture, construction (AEC), industrial design, automotive, aerospace, military, engineering, civil engineering, dental and medical industries, biotech (human tissue replacement), fashion, footwear, jewelry, eyewear, education, geographic information systems, food, and many other fields. It has been speculated that 3D printing may become a mass market item because open source 3D printing can easily offset their capital costs by enabling consumers to avoid costs associated with purchasing common household objects.
Source: Wikipedia