Schools and libraries
One of the big perks about 3D printing is that it is becoming more and more affordable and possible for places like schools and libraries to have 3D printers of their own so their students are able to start working with them, introducing them to fields of study that they otherwise would never be introduced to in regular curriculum. While not common, as most printers are still industrial, they have the potential to be excellent teaching tools. From having students learn how the blueprints work, to creating their own designs for toys or other small objects, it turns students into creators who are not only flexing artistic but technological skills as well.
In Heather Moorefield-Lang’s article “3-D Printing in Your Libraries and Classrooms”, she briefly interviews two different teachers in North Carolina who have in the past two years integrated 3D printers into their library and art classrooms. She talks about the various projects their students have created, the opportunities for learning it has presented, as well as some of the draw backs—which are commonly seen with the proposed introduction of 3D printing into the education world at large.
First and foremost is just getting the printers and materials themselves. Luckily, with the availability of grants, it is easier to find funding to support a new project in the school. The second problem they have run into is the matter of training. Most school systems don’t have a formal way to teach this technology, and the places that use it most frequently are either commercial or on University campuses across the nation. That being said, these teachers have found that the community that has built up around “every day” 3D printing has a growing base of information available online. Social media, YouTube, and peers who have also started their own forays into the world of 3D printing were cited as the most helpful sources.
In Heather Moorefield-Lang’s article “3-D Printing in Your Libraries and Classrooms”, she briefly interviews two different teachers in North Carolina who have in the past two years integrated 3D printers into their library and art classrooms. She talks about the various projects their students have created, the opportunities for learning it has presented, as well as some of the draw backs—which are commonly seen with the proposed introduction of 3D printing into the education world at large.
First and foremost is just getting the printers and materials themselves. Luckily, with the availability of grants, it is easier to find funding to support a new project in the school. The second problem they have run into is the matter of training. Most school systems don’t have a formal way to teach this technology, and the places that use it most frequently are either commercial or on University campuses across the nation. That being said, these teachers have found that the community that has built up around “every day” 3D printing has a growing base of information available online. Social media, YouTube, and peers who have also started their own forays into the world of 3D printing were cited as the most helpful sources.
others?
The above are all well and good, and this is by no means wholly comprehensive, but what about textiles? While I’ve already mentioned how rapid prototyping has been used to create things from scratch, Jim Flowers and Kyle Samuels from Ball State University decided to take it a bit further and see if they could build things onto already existing substrates, like fabric. They found that while not all of their materials worked well, it was possible to create designs using the printer and the fabric with specific settings. There was no mention of making a commercial market for clothes featuring 3D printed designs, but, you never know.
But while speaking of unknown frontiers, why limit 3D printing to terra firma? After all, one of the first things most people cite when the topic comes up is Star Trek. Well, sci-fi has been a rather good predictor of technology to come, and this is no exception. As Jeremy N. A. Matthews explains in his article “3D Printing Breaks Out of its Mold”, the next destination for these printers is the final frontier. If they can get the printers to work in space, they can make everything from their own fresh food to spare parts, as needed. The main reduction is then in what has to be hauled from earth to space, and back. According to Matthews, "Once those problems are solved, [Made in Space, a Silicon Valley startup's chief technology officer] Dunn says that a space-bound vehicle would be lugging less weight because its cargo could be built in space using up to 30% less raw material.". That would be a big improvement for future astronauts.
But while speaking of unknown frontiers, why limit 3D printing to terra firma? After all, one of the first things most people cite when the topic comes up is Star Trek. Well, sci-fi has been a rather good predictor of technology to come, and this is no exception. As Jeremy N. A. Matthews explains in his article “3D Printing Breaks Out of its Mold”, the next destination for these printers is the final frontier. If they can get the printers to work in space, they can make everything from their own fresh food to spare parts, as needed. The main reduction is then in what has to be hauled from earth to space, and back. According to Matthews, "Once those problems are solved, [Made in Space, a Silicon Valley startup's chief technology officer] Dunn says that a space-bound vehicle would be lugging less weight because its cargo could be built in space using up to 30% less raw material.". That would be a big improvement for future astronauts.
ONWARDS
So where does this leave us, with the ability to print nearly anything we could need in the near future at the push of a button?
Well, unless you have around $50,000 (approx.) to spend on all the necessary materials (at the time of this writing, anyway), then you might be out of luck. But, don't lose all hope. While the most common place to find 3D printers will probably be University campuses and the like, at home models are slowly getting cheaper; they tend to catch you with material costs, though, should it become a long standing hobby. Still, this is a trend that is slowly catching on. Maybe just in the background (don't go expecting any meals a la Stark Trek just yet), but this not so new form of tech is making creators out of the masses. If you want to start your own 3D printing journey, a good place to start would be looking into a Maker Bot- currently one of the more basic starting printers, its the one most commonly found in public spaces like libraries and schools. Who knows? Maybe you'll open the first 3D printed pizzeria.
Well, unless you have around $50,000 (approx.) to spend on all the necessary materials (at the time of this writing, anyway), then you might be out of luck. But, don't lose all hope. While the most common place to find 3D printers will probably be University campuses and the like, at home models are slowly getting cheaper; they tend to catch you with material costs, though, should it become a long standing hobby. Still, this is a trend that is slowly catching on. Maybe just in the background (don't go expecting any meals a la Stark Trek just yet), but this not so new form of tech is making creators out of the masses. If you want to start your own 3D printing journey, a good place to start would be looking into a Maker Bot- currently one of the more basic starting printers, its the one most commonly found in public spaces like libraries and schools. Who knows? Maybe you'll open the first 3D printed pizzeria.