How 3D printing will change the world

In recent years 3D printing has become a thing of the present rather than the future. It’s constantly being put to the test, what was originally building small 3D models to show its capabilities is not building medical prosthetics.

It’s no longer just available for big companies or universities but there have been a number of developments which allow for 3D printing in domestic situations.

2014 was a big year for 3D printing; it saw more creative ideas, more materials being used and pushing the borders of modern medicine.

Some dental clinics have for some years been using 3D printers to help create appliances, for use in the creation of crowns, bridges and temporaries by dental technicians. Using this technology, even long-term temporaries can now be created, meaning that 3D printers can quite literally already print you new teeth.

The world of fashion has also taken an interest in 3D printing to make jewellery and apparel. These shoes have been printed with Nylon and although are extremely light weight they are strong enough to support the weight of the wearer.  The shoes will cost the buyer up to US$900 however and they can be adjusted by the customer in colour and heel height as the design can be altered quickly in a computer program

Broken bones or fractured bones are often placed in a knitted fibreglass cast that encases the limb to prevent further damage and restrict movement to allow the bone to heal undisturbed. Often the cast has to be replaced as it does not allow the limb to breathe

very well. Also if the cast gets wet it could potentially cause infection or mould to grow and it cannot dry and remove the dampness easily. Medical scientists have designed a web looking cast that can provide stability and protection whilst the limb is healing but can also stop the problem with moisture and breathability.  The ‘Cortex’ cast was designed and created by Victoria University of Wellington and what’s more is that not only is it ventilated and light, it’s also recyclable. The information to create the cast would come straight from X-rays and a 3D scan.

It’s not all good news though. 3D printing has led to a rise in the creation of printed firearms. This has been great concern offer the ease of sharing blueprints over the internet. There have also been a number of demonstrations by ‘defense’ groups of metal printed guns.

For those who have tried 3D printing will probably be aware of how difficult it is to produce one solid finished model. Even if you have witnessed the first four hours of printing go without a hitch, you should not be surprised that once you've left the room it all starts going wrong. A number of things can start happening such as the X and Y discs start slipping and are now printing in a different place from where you would like or the plastic has melted on to the equipment allowing the plastic to not ‘pour’ in the same way.

For printing equipment that you can rely on Focus Label Machinery Ltd has a wide range of paper and packing printers as well as textile printers. 3D printing isn't for everyone but we are able to provide equipment for mainstream production as well as for more bespoke applications; we aim to provide our customers with top quality machinery and top quality service.
Take a look at our range of printing machines or contact our specialist team of staff today.