3D Printing
3D-printed structures shrink when heated
Almost all solid materials, from rubber and glass to granite and steel, inevitably expand when heated. Only in very rare instances do certain materials buck this thermodynamic trend and shrink with heat. For instance, cold water will contract when heated between 0 and 4ºC, before expanding. Engineers from MIT, the University of Southern California, and elsewhere are now adding to this curious class of heat-shrinking materials.
Printing your own house can become a reality
A house made by a 3D printer could one day be a reality. The façade of the ‘Europa-Haus’ in the Amsterdam Marine Quarter, built for the duration of the Dutch Presidency of the EU, was partly constructed in this way. Based in Amsterdam, DUS Architects have used a mobile 3D printer in extra-extra-large (XXL) format, which is housed in a shipping container. For the construction of the building, the architects worked closely w...
3D printing speeds up production for testing material strength
Advanced 3D printing promises to redefine manufacturing in critical industries such as aerospace, transportation and defense, and now, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is exploring the use of 3D printing to achieve unprecedented flexibility in producing "on-demand" targets for testing how materials behave under extreme conditions.
3D printing and origami develop medical implants
Researchers at TU Delft have made flat surfaces that are 3D printed and then 'taught' how to self- fold later. The materials are potentially very well suited for all kinds of medical implants. They report on their findings in the October 24th edition of Materials Horizons which features this research on its cover. Complete regeneration of functional tissues is the holy grail of tissue engineering and could revolutionise treatment o...
Additive manufacturing solutions at K 2016
EOS is presenting its range of AM solutions for all fields of application including rapid prototyping to large-scale production, at this weeks K 2016 event. In the area of plastics-based Additive Manufacturing, EOS is presenting the EOS P 770 for the first time. The system will build live at the EOS booth.
Making functional polymers for 3D printers
Chemical engineers at the University of Melbourne have found a way to 3D print smart polymers (or plastics) that can perform a function, in a way that is cheaper, cleaner and more accessible than ever before.
Lego-like wall produces acoustic holograms
Research Triangle engineers have developed a simple, energy-efficient way to create 3D acoustic holograms. The technique could revolutionise applications ranging from home stereo systems to medical ultrasound devices. Most everyone is familiar with the concept of visual holograms, which manipulate light to make it appear as though a 3-D object is sitting in empty space. These optical tricks work by shaping the electromagnetic field so that i...
'Foundry' tool designs for 3D printing
3D printing has progressed over the last decade to include multi-material fabrication, enabling production of powerful, functional objects. While many advances have been made, it still has been difficult for non-programmers to create objects made of many materials (or mixtures of materials) without a more user-friendly interface. But this week, a team from MIT's CSAIL will present “Foundry,” a system for custom-designing a v...
Architectural project showcases the maker movement
With the Maker Economy Starter Kit, WASP suggests a living concept and an economical point of view. The project showcases how 3D printing can create a huge, moving technological village. The project will be set up in a 400m2 area at the Rome Maker Faire from 14th to 16th October 2016.
Biomaterial to build better bones with 3D printing
A Northwestern Engineering research team has developed a 3D printable ink that produces a synthetic bone implant that rapidly induces bone regeneration and growth. This hyperelastic "bone" material, whose shape can be easily customised, one day could be especially useful for the treatment of bone defects in children. Bone implantation surgery is never an easy process, but it is particularly painful and complicated for children.