Tag: Printing

Scientists 3D Print an Entire Human Ear in Lab

The unthinkable has happened. Researchers have managed to develop a 3D printer that is capable of bioprinting tissues to be used in transplants. These transplants can include muscle, bone, cartilage and even an entire human ear, which is precisely what the team has achieved.

The study has been published by researchers at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine and has provided modern medicine with a 3D printer called the integrated tissue-organ printer (ITOP). It is the first of its kind printer capable of printing human-scale tissue constructs.

Even though the technology has still not been tested on humans, the team has tried it with lab rats where 3D printed tissues were attached to them. These tissues included bioprinted bone tissue which were then analysed after a period of 5 months. It was discovered at the end of the set duration that the implants were completely free of necrosis, while also showing presence of new vascularised tissue.

This incredible development has ushered in endless possibilities for people requiring muscle repair treatment post accidents or diseases. Even though currently the study is only in its nascent stages, it has some big achievements to its credit. We can only hope for the progress graph to move upwards from here.

Source

February 17, 2016
Looking For Some 3D Printed Candy -Berlin is Your Next Stop

Welcome to the world of 3D printing food technology. Yes, you heard it right, 3D printed food. Candy-maker Katjes has created sweets in Berlin using a 3D printing technique in a first of its kind attempt. Called The Magic Candy Factory, it employs heated fruit gum mixture to create miniature octopuses and pyramids, among other things.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dFJpXkyhcI

Customers are given a range of fourteen designs to choose from on a tablet. The candy costs 5-10 euros and hopes to draw attention using the technology. We recently reported about 3D doodling pens which allows the user to create art in thin air. From doodling to candies, the world of 3D printing is bent on taking audiences by storm. We can only wonder what technology has to offer next.

October 2, 2015
Singapore Now Home to Largest 3D Printing Factory in South East Asia

What had initially begun as an Ultra Clean Holdings (UCH) office in Singapore in late 2008 materialised into the first 3D printing factory of South East Asia on Monday. This office also has a second function of operating as the Asia Pacific head-quarters of the company.

The printing factory had been made semi-functional by November of last year. Now it is fully prepared for commercial, and consumer and business related 3D printing. Printing would be possible in 17 different kinds of materials including precious and semi-precious ones like gold, ceramic and brass.

UCT decided to work on its 3D printing technology in Singapore in order to meet with the demands of its growing business with manufacturers in Asia. Other than printing, services like assembly, machining and welding are also provided by the company. With headquarters in California, UCT has five offices in the US, two in Shanghai and one in the Philippines.

September 29, 2015
This 4D Printing Project Gives Us a Glimpse at the Future of the Tech

A collaboration between Stratasys’ Education, R&D departments and MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab has led to a breakthrough in the realm of printing. Because 3D printers were simply not fancy enough, developers decided to create a 4D printer which allows the printed objects to change their physical state with the right temperature as stimuli.

A self-folding object created with 4D technology.

Creating self-assembly technology for large scale structures is the underlying goal for this research and its results. The project is led by Skylar Tibbits, Self-Assembly Lab Director and trained Architect, Computer Scientist and Artist, and has showcased to the world Tibbits’ first 4D printer. It comes equipped with Stratasys’ Connex multi-material 3D printing technology.

The 4-D technology, developed by Georgia Institute of Technology and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) enables 3D structures to fold themselves from components that were previously flat or folded for various reasons. Though this technology is not commercially available yet, it seems to hold tremendous promise in manufacturing with least energy consumption. It’s okay for you to go ahead and get excited about the possibility of a sci-fi-inspired-world of self-automated and shape-shifting objects now.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://phys.org/news/2015-09-d-technology-self-folding-complex.html”]Phys.Org[/tw-button]
[tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.plastix-world.com/4d-printing-is-coming/”]Plastix World[/tw-button]

September 27, 2015