3D Manufacturing Capabilities

3D Manufacturing, commonly known as “Addictive Manufacturing” in the professional world, according to me it is already in the main stream of manufacturing and professional world today. Also that it will main stream into the common world for all individuals within the next 2 to 5 years from now. Therefore there is no question about the future, 3d Manufacturing is already here today. “Addictive Manufacturing” can be simplified as being a process in which anything from a body tissue to a single family home can be designed on a 3D computer program then a functional realistic life size of that design can be printed as a final product. The technology of 3D manufacturing has been under exploration and research for decades and it has resulted in the creation of 3D printers for various types of materials and functions. When I was in high school few years back in 2009 I was fortunate enough to use 3D technology to print small parts such as stair cases and window frames for architectural models for class projects, so 3D printing is nothing new. Fortune 500 companies such as Boeing and General Electric are using the “Addictive Manufacturing” technology today to make complex parts out of composite materials being used in several of their final products. This technology has help create many small startup business such as ones which make custom accessories such as custom electronic housings, cases, chocolates, presents, and more in which buying a 3D printer eliminates cost of hiring workers, leasing or buying big warehouses for productions and so on. Another big impact addictive manufacturing has made is in the medicine world. Not only are these printers are able to make prosthetic such as leg and hip joints, but bio-medical engineering students across the street at University of Pennsylvania have been able to print out live blood vessel networks out of live organic materials which can be brought to life and be a crucial breakthrough for the medical world but also for human kind (upeen.edu). So far they have been able to create full organs such as a human bladder and human kidney. With such capabilities shortages at organ banks will be a thing of the past and many lives which are being lost today will be saved.

The topics mentioned above did not directly focus on architectural or the civil engineering field but as mentioned in my group members’ blog posts this innovation of 3D manufacturing can be used with materials such as concrete to develop full size architectural and civil structures as well. This can increase productivity and efficiency of projects significantly while cutting down on labor cost tremendously. 3D manufacturing is not main stream in this field as of now but with all the positive outcomes and results of research being performed at institutes such as USC it can be concluded the idea of 3D manufacturing for construction in field of architectural and civil engineering will be a common option in the next 5-10 years.

Information used in the research to compile the post above is based on credible sources listed below:

http://www.upenn.edu/pennnews/news/penn-researchers-improve-living-tissues-3d-printed-vascular-networks-made-sugar  ;Penn Researchers Improving Livening Tissues With 3D Printed Vascular Networks Made From Sugar; Evan Lerner; July 1, 2012    

http://www.csc.com/lef/insights/92142-3d_printing_and_the_future_of_manufacturing  ; Paul Gustafson; November 29, 2012

http://additivemanufacturing.com/basics/  ; What is Additive Manufacturing;