The past few years the 3D printing industry has
expanded into a new consumer and commercial
commodity. The commercial platforms are escalating to revolutionary heights and consumer platforms with an open source base for designs are demonstrating that 3D printing could easily be the next product that will be in everyone’s home, similarly as the cell phone, the computer or the television before it. In a technologically thriving generation of tablets, wearable tech, and electric vehicles, 3D printing is proving to be an attainable and resourceful commodity where the innovation is limited to the imagination of the designer.
The innovation of 3D printing allows
users to print from a variety of plastic materials including ABS, PLA filament,
and some cases metal material. Recent builds and methods have enabled users to
use plastic waste to generate material to print from. This form of using
recycled materials to print from reduces the ecological impact produced from
printing, minimizing “high-impact” resourcing that “virgin materials” generate
during manufacturing. Soon, machines like the RecycleBot, which utilize waste
material such as rejected prints, milk containers, etc. will be available for
consumers to use as an alternative to standard filament for desktop printers.
commodity. The commercial platforms are escalating to revolutionary heights and consumer platforms with an open source base for designs are demonstrating that 3D printing could easily be the next product that will be in everyone’s home, similarly as the cell phone, the computer or the television before it. In a technologically thriving generation of tablets, wearable tech, and electric vehicles, 3D printing is proving to be an attainable and resourceful commodity where the innovation is limited to the imagination of the designer.
One
of the environmental concerns over the 3D printing revolution: is it truly
greener than manufacturing. One of the commodities of 3D printing is the
capacity and potential in reduction of mass manufacturing waste. Bringing the
manufacturing of “printable” goods versus conventional methods such as injection
molded goods to the home demonstrates the ability to produce items in smaller
runs than that of mass manufacturing. The economic and environmental advantages
are spread between the two methods by the ability to run fewer machines,
printing the most jobs individually in a mass production setting, predominately
because of the advantages of printing parts simultaneously rather than machines
producing them consecutively.
The innovation of 3D printing allows
users to print from a variety of plastic materials including ABS, PLA filament,
and some cases metal material. Recent builds and methods have enabled users to
use plastic waste to generate material to print from. This form of using
recycled materials to print from reduces the ecological impact produced from
printing, minimizing “high-impact” resourcing that “virgin materials” generate
during manufacturing. Soon, machines like the RecycleBot, which utilize waste
material such as rejected prints, milk containers, etc. will be available for
consumers to use as an alternative to standard filament for desktop printers.
Sources:
Adam Morales
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