Objectives and Overview

There are numerous ways that 3D printing is being used in the real world. Every day there are stories popping up about new applications of 3D printing in different industries. These are some of the ways 3D printing is being used today.

Lesson Objectives

• Identify examples of 3D printing in a variety of industries

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3D Printing in Fashion

Clothing

It’s amazing to think about 3D printing your own clothing! This is what fashion designer Danit Peleg set out to do as her graduate school final project. Danit used desktop printers, very similar to the one you will be using, to 3D print fabric that could be assembled to create a 5 piece clothing line. It took her 2,000 hours of printing!

Shoes

Another fashion item that you may not think of being 3D printed are shoes. Many designers are creating intricate shoes for fashion with 3D printers.

Jewelry

Jewelry is one of easiest to understand applications of 3D printing. Shapeways (online 3D printing service + marketplace) has an entire section of custom designed jewelry where designers can upload to and customers can buy from.

Kinematics allows you to create custom jewelry that is then 3D printed for you. It allows you to create a one of a kind piece.

Wearable Tech

There is no doubt that tech and fashion are merging with the emergence of wearable technologies. With 3d printing and some ingenuity, you can create your own wearable technologies such as an LED Belt Buckle:

Or, how about a 3D printed activity band:

3D Printing in Architecture

3D Printing for Future Architects

Here is a concept video from LeFabShop of what the future of architects and electric cars could offer.

Prototypes & Models

3D printing is great for producing models or prototypes of buildings. In the photo below, Charles Overy, founder of LGM, shows a model of a resort in Vail, Colo. “We used to take two months to build $100,000 models,” he said, adding that now they cost about $2,000.

Your Dream House

Explore your imagination and build your dream home and then 3D print it!

Blueprints

Take blueprints and convert them into actual models to get a better idea of a home’s layout:

Medical Uses of 3D Printing

Prosthetics

This is an area of 3D printing that is really exciting. The “limited run” or “one off” capabilities of 3D printing lend themselves very well to medical services because people are very unique. What fits one person, may not fit another person and 3D printing allows the medical field to create custom solutions for unique people.

We are also seeing instances where open source 3D printed prosthetics are performing better than expensive prosthetics.

3D printing is offering new solutions for old problems. For example, a broken bone. If you have ever had a broken bone, you know how itchy and smelly a traditional cast can get. New 3D printed casts offer breathability and the ability to repel water that traditional casts could not do while still providing the rigidity needed for healing.
Additionally, the ability to fully customize the casts allows the use of new techniques such as ultrasonic technologies that help the break heal faster. The two wires in the photo can be positioned over the actual break and send ultrasonic waves into the break which has been proven to heal bones faster.

Read more: 3D-printed cast uses ultrasound to speed healing

Internal Organs

In this TEDEd video, Taneka Jones discusses bioprinting – using 3D printing to fabricate human tissue!

Implants

3D printing is also being used to create replacement parts for humans that have failed us in some way. Everything as “simple” as a knee replacement to complex structures such as jaws and even skulls!

Read more: Another First for 3D Printing – Woman Receives Jaw Implant

Recently, a woman received the first 3D printing skull implant. Due to a rare condition, her skull was thickening and putting pressure on her brain. They replaced her skull with a 3D printed one during a 23 hour operation.

Read more: Medical First: 3-D Printed Skull Successfully Implanted in Woman

Accessibility

3D printing allows people who have unique needs to develop their own solutions for common problems they run into.

“As a wheelchair-user I often need to overcome a step in front of a building, a shop, cafe or bar. Therefore I had the idea of printing me my own small ramp. It has to be as small as possible to carry it in my bag, when I’m on my way through Berlin. This is my first prototype. Please feel free to print and to develop it… Any feedback is appreciated!”

Thingiverse User nanonan

Other Uses for 3D Printing

3D Printed Tools

This 3d printed tool creates a Dremel powered from a vacuum and has the added bonus of vacuuming it’s own dust!

In December 2014, the first 3D Printer in Space was delivered to the International Space Station! Shortly after, the first tool was 3D printed in space. The wrench was designed by someone on Earth and emailed to the astronauts at the ISS where they easily downloaded the file and printed the tool.