Monday 12 December 2011

The Economist reports from EUROMOLD 2011

Points mentioned in the article:

  • 300 exhibitors working in 3D print/additive manufacturing
  • 3D printers the size of cars, many desktop units
  • Building up products layer by layer or drop by drop in plastic, powered metal
  • Exhaust manifold, artificial leg, aircraft door hinge, shoes, fashion
  • 3D products have flowing lines, more like art with an organic look
  • Some 3D printed objects copying nature, human aesthetic 
  • 3D printed bones have curves to precisely fit the patient
  • Titanium printed bones can replicate lattice-like internal structure of human bone
  • Bundles of vertical filaments can make objects light and strong
  • Heat exchanger optimum design like a fish gill
  • A car mirror 3D printed to include channels for wiring
  • Gearbox hydraulics could be 30% lighter if 3D printed
  • An unmanned aircraft drone in laser-sintered nylon incorporating a geodetic structure - possible with 3D printing
  • Layers are laser sintered into solidity or cured with heat or UV
  • Clock mechanism made 'in one go' in a 3D printer
  • Compound materials - rubberlike at one end fading to stiff at other
  • Camera body soft where gripped, hard where the lens is mounted
  • Fashion applications - shoes, smart phone cases


http://www.economist.com/node/21541382

1 comment:

  1. Hey Howard,

    Just wanted to drop you a quick line to let you know how much we love your blog over here at Solidoodle. It encompasses every aspect of this wild world of 3D printing, from great design ideas to the business side of things. Keep up the great work. If you are interested in checking out another 3D printer company, hop on over to solidoodle.com and see what we're about. In a nutshell: FULLY assembled, build size 4x4x4" in a box that's 10x10x10," and $700. We're about to ship our first big batch this week! Let me know if I can answer any questions for you: laura@solidoodle.com is my email.

    Howard, keep up the great blogging. We'll be following you here and on Twitter.

    Cheers,
    Laura Hall

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