Maansi Singh

Maansi Singh

Mr. Coussens

English 4

3 May 2020

3D Printing

In the year 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly spreads across the world, challenging healthcare systems with Personal Protective Equipment shortage. To combat PPE shortage, Chad A. Mirkin and David Walker at Northwestern University set their teams to produce 3D printed equipment through a new strategy called high-area rapid printing (HARP). Using a 13-foot tall 3D printer with a 2.5 square-foot printing bed, the teams are able to produce 1,000 pieces of equipment every 24 hours (Morris). Reading this article and about many similar 3D printing efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic sparked my curiosity and interest, leading me to research about 3D printing and its applications as my capstone topic. For my background research, I wanted to understand where 3D printing has already been applied to help solve current problems. My capstone project will be a documentary explaining the rapid growth of 3D printing technology and its application to potential worldwide problems today and in the future. Through this effort, I hope to learn and teach others about how 3D printing touches human lives at various levels and provides solutions to their problems, despite the challenges it brings in the process.

3D printing is a technological advancement in the process of development, but has been revised by a number of engineers and scientists over the past forty years. Also known as Additive Manufacturing, it is the process in which objects are created by layering cross sections of filament on top of one another. Using Computer Aided Design programs, such as Fusion 360 and Tinkercad, blueprints are created and sent to the printers as instructions. Using these instructions, the nozzle of the printer morphs the filament into creating an object (“3D Printing”). The idea of 3D printing was not developed by one person, but instead by a series of people in the late 1900s. In 1981, a doctor from Japan named Hideo Kodama introduced the idea of using photopolymer, a type of material which hardens under ultraviolet light, as a resource for creating prototypes of objects. Using this idea, an engineer named Chuck Hull designed, created, and patented the first 3D printer in 1984 (Nguyen). After the first 3D printer was created, scientists and engineers felt that its production process had a potential for further development. As a result, an inventor named Steven Scott Crump created and patented the process of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) by 1989, in which the nozzle of a 3D printer layers melted plastic material to create the product. Shortly following Crump, a businessman named Carl Deckard decided to introduce a process known as Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) in 1989 (Nguyen). SLS is an additive manufacturing process that utilizes a laser to sinter the melted, plastic material to 3D print objects. Over its forty years of evolution, these scientists observed that 3D printing can become a tool for a common man. They saw how 3D printing and the Internet share commonality in their development. At the beginning stages of its creation, many people saw the Internet as simply an experiment rather than an idea, but today, the internet is used by people across the world. Similarly, 3D printing in its origin was seen as solely an idea or a vision, but its application and abilities can make it a possibility for democratization (“Future”).

After being improved by scientists and engineers over time, 3D printing became a resource for creating products in the manufacturing, education, construction and fashion industries. Web customization sites allow consumers to personalize objects and receive their products through companies that print and ship prototypes. Extending its application to academia, students and teachers can create representations of historical artifacts and other objects with 3D printing and use it as an effective learning tool. Not only that, but 3D printing technology usage at a construction scale allows complex, faster and less costly construction, as well as the ability to decrease wastage byproducts (“Top”). Last but not least, ​designers in the fashion industry can apply 3D print on fabrics creatively, add printed parts to pieces, and include flexible materials to eliminate the amount of seams in an outfit (“Future”). Also, jewelry designs can be 3D printed using materials like polylactic acid filament, gold and platinum. Not only is 3D printing applicable in the fields of construction, clothing, education and manufacturing, but it's capabilities can prove to be life saving in the medical field.

3D printing in the medical field is essential in developing new solutions for people with different necessities. Bioprinting is a form of 3D printing technology that uses Bioink and current 3D printing strategies to print human body parts, such as tissues, organs, cells, livers, and bones (“3D Printing”). Bioink is This technology has been made possible for metal orthopedic implants because body parts can be designed and printed according to a person’s natural bone structure (“Top”). 3D printing has successfully proven to work in implants for pelvis, liver, and facial reconstruction. Prosthetics is another field of medicine in which 3D printing can and has been applied. Many people are unable to afford prosthetics that can suit the needs of their daily lives due to economic status (“Alleviate”). With the capabilities of 3D printing, prosthetic designers can measure, model, and sell prosthetics for a lower price to those who cannot afford one. Children can be provided with prosthetics whenever they require a new one as they develop, as multiple designs can be printed to fit their body measurements. Lastly, medical drugs, particularly pills, can be 3D printed using a process called Binder Jetting, which prints a single pill with a high dosage for people who have epilepsy (“Top”). If 3D printing is used for mass production, all people can print medically prescribed drugs and hospitals can produce medicine when they require its use (“3D printing”). These capabilities make 3D printing powerfully significant in several areas of application, but this technology also comes with its own price.

In its stride, 3D printing has its own challenges. According to a research study done at Loughborough University, melting plastic using selective laser sintering through 3D printing consumes fifty to one hundred times more energy than the traditional manufacturing process of injection molding (Pearson). 3D printing also has the capability to produce carcinogenic particles, hazardous vapors and gas emissions, which may harm human health by causing lung cancer.(“Change”). Copyright infringement may also pose another risk, especially for digital design softwares. With the ability for people to create, share and refer to designs made by others, anyone with access to another creator’s blueprints can forge that product without government authorization (Pearson).The ownership of design files becomes questionable, and creators are unable to understand who should have access to certain designs. Moreover, people are uncertain about how they should react to losing ownership of their own ideas and if laws will be created to suppress copyright infringement. (“Change”). Since 3D printing can manage several tasks that are seen as jobs in subtractive manufacturing, unemployment rates will rapidly increase, especially for small businesses and countries who have a mass population working in low-scale jobs (Pearson). Although 3D printing has disadvantages, its benefits prove to be more significant.

The application of 3D printing in present-day society has led to the discovery of its advantages as well. A wide variety of materials, such as sandstone, metal, ABS plastic, and nylon are used in the 3D printing industry (“3D printing”). Since 3D printers can use a wide variety of materials, 3D printing technology can be used in multiple aspects of production. 3D printing uses the bare minimum amount of materials necessary to create a product and does not produce a large amount of waste (Flynt). A large amount of complicated and customized parts can be created in a short amount of time​, which leads to cost reduction, as there is a large supply of material(“Future”). When a crisis arises and products need to be made quickly, 3D printers can print those products within hours of their requirement (“3D Printing”). Customer accessibility is made easy because consumers can print items at their home whenever necessary (“Top”). If used as a resource for mass customization, the average consumer will be able to print products from their homes. 3D printing’s advantages are significant, but its environmental impact cannot be overlooked.

The use of 3D printing will have both a positive and a negative impact on the environment. Environmentally-friendly plastics such as PLA filament are renewable and produce less toxic emissions during the printing process (Flynt). Since designs are easily accessible for consumers, as they can be created and printed in their homes, the environmental pollution caused by the transportation of goods over long distances is highly reduced (“Future”). 3D printing may also have a negative impact on the environment, such as the production of toxic materials (Flynt). ABS plastic is the most commonly used type of plastic, which is not as developed towards being eco friendly as PLA filament is (Pearson). The amount of energy produced in the process adds to the carbon footprint humans have already left on the environment (Flynt). The development of 3D printing towards being an environmentally friendly process is essential for its possibilities of being a mass-produced process. Although its environmental impact is notable, its current application and instant gains are huge, such as the ones experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic and helping the poor.

3D printing has already left a huge impact on societies through its application in worldwide crises, particularly for the poor, disadvantaged population and the COVID-19 pandemic. Liquidity Nanotechnology created the Naked Filter, which is a water bottle that filters water as it is poured in the bottle for a low cost. The Victoria Hand Project created upper limb prosthetics for patients who are unable to afford them. The first 3D printed mountain bike was invented in 2014 in England, which was reproduced and provided to the poorer population of England. (“Alleviate Poverty”). 3D printing is currently making a huge impact on the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the March of 2020, health systems and hospitals across the world were lacking personal protection equipment (PPE) to keep healthcare workers and the general public safe from the negative impact of COVID-19. PPE equipment shortage included lack of masks, gowns, and respirators. Many people with experience in the 3D printing field took action towards the PPE shortage by proposing the idea of 3D printing equipment and providing it for the general public (Best). In New York, the Budmen Industries produce face-shields for workers to protect themselves when handling diagnosed patients. The Budmens are now printing 1,000 face shields per day (Best). However, some of these startups are facing the downsides of this process. At first, Italian printers for valves were accused of patent infringement of another company's products, which turned out to be untrue, but can arise as a problem for future 3D printing companies (Best). Nevertheless, the qualities of 3D printing such as time efficiency, material availability and cost efficiency make this technology an important aspect of solving worldwide crises.

Through my research on 3D printing and its application in society, I have learned several acquired knowledge about the impact 3D printing will have on the environment, industries, economically disadvantaged, and the global pandemic crisis. This information has allowed me to see 3D printing in a new light; as a tool that is not only useful for small, easily achievable tasks, but also to revolutionize a society and bring about change. I will apply this research to my project by creating a film to describe the application, solutions and development of 3D printing into a futuristic society. 3D printing has a huge significance in the democratization of production in society and the potential advancements that can be made are important to discover. I feel that it is important to educate others about the vital role of 3D printing and its powerful application to solve human problems.

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