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My group originally thought that this was supposed to be done on different padlets. When we asked Amrutha ma'am for advice she told us to transfer everthing to one padlet. However the individual padlets still do exist. Sorry for the inconvenience.

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The new technology promises a factory in every home-and a whole lot more

Wandering the brightly lit halls of the 3D Systems' plant in Rock Hill, South Carolina, I gaze upon objects strange and wondrous. A fully functioning guitar made of nylon. A phalanx of mandibles studded with atrocious-looking teeth. The skeleton of a whale. A five-color, full-scale prototype of a high-heeled shoe. Toy robots. And what appears to be the face of a human fetus. "That was made from an ultrasound image," Cathy Lewis, the company's chief marketing officer, tells me, shrugging.

This collection of objects shares one feature: All were "printed" by machines that, following instructions from digital files, join together layer upon layer of material-whether metals, ceramics or plastics-until the object's distinctive shape is realized. The process is called 3-D printing (or additive manufacturing, in industrial parlance) and if you haven't heard of it by now, you haven't been paying enough attention to scores of breathless news stories and technology blogs-or to President Barack Obama, who declared in his most recent State of the Union address that 3-D printing "has the potential to revolutionize the way we make almost anything."

While many people only now are hearing about the technology, engineers and designers have been using large and expensive 3-D printers for nearly three decades, making rapid prototypes of parts for aerospace, defense and automotive companies. Over the years, however, digital design software has matured, scanners have become ubiquitous and affordable desktop printers have come within reach of self-starting entrepreneurs, schools and home tinkerers. Technologists boisterously proclaim that 3-D printing will democratize design and free us from the hegemony of mass manufacturing.

But just because anybody's ideas can take shape doesn't necessarily mean they should-a notion that struck me in 3D Systems' lobby, where I saw shelf after shelf of what some people try very hard not to describe as cheap plastic crap: brightly colored miniature vases, phone cases, jewelry, dolls and, inevitably, skulls. (On just one 3-D file-sharing site, I found 101 designs for skull rings and pendants.) The creator of these lobby tchotchkes? The Cube, manufactured by 3D Systems.

"This is our consumer strategy," Lewis explains to me, pointing toward a group of pink, turquoise and lime-green printers. The Cubes are the size of a Mr. Coffee machine, shiny and smooth, and have an on-off switch, a port for a thumb drive and a price tag of $1,299. Cubes create objects through a material extrusion process, in which a print head deposits and stacks thin layers of molten plastic onto a platform. The process begins when users load their digital design into the Cube, whose software helps them scale their model up or down and automatically adds support structures if they're needed. (Supports are made of the same plastic as the machine prints, and they pop off.) Then the Cube "slices" the digital object into microns-thick horizontal layers, creating a blueprint that the print head will follow, moving on x and y axes.

The Cube can create objects in 16 different colors, but it can print only one color at a time (no cartridge switching mid-print). To make a toy robot or a skull ring in more than one color during a single printout, you'll need a CubeX Duo, which costs more than twice as much but has two print cartridges that automatically turn colors off and on-a great leap forward in the eyes of desktop printing aficionados.

Perhaps sensing my ambivalence toward this device, Lewis leads me into a glass-walled manufacturing room to see the company's big guns: a brace of refrigerator-size machines fronted with small windows and surrounded by monitors, keypads and CPUs. Electrical cables snake overhead, Shop-Vacs are ubiquitous and the floor is slippery with powdered nylon. Squinting and shielding my eyes from glare, I stare through the small window of a stereolithography machine, in which a vat filled with a photosensitive polymer is repeatedly blasted by a laser, triggering a chemical reaction that causes a thin layer of the viscous dark blue liquid to harden. Seconds pass, horizontal lightning flashes and a wiper distributes another layer of the resin.

Each layer is 50 microns thick, which is equal to one-twentieth of a millimeter. (The thinner the layers, the finer the resolution and the crisper the details.) The finished object rises while its build bed, or platform, sinks. What was this printer-which costs $170,000-producing? Lewis consults a monitor and surmises it's jewelry, a ring of intricate design. I note that it's a lot of machine to make a bauble, but Lewis assures me that technicians usually build more than one bauble at a time.

She shows me another windowed machine. This time the vat is filled not with dark blue liquid but white powdered nylon. A wiper smoothes the vat's surface, upon which a laser lightly etches the outlines of four rings and a miniature boomerang by fusing together the powdered material (a process known as sintering). The wiper swipes again, erasing the shapes, the laser flashes, and another layer of rings and a boomerang is sintered. The monitor tells us this project is four inches high after 26 hours of sintering, with many hours to go. The "reveal" won't come until the excess powder is excavated and the product exhumed. It might be a drone, it might be a cast for an engine block. Lewis can't say (it's definitely not a boomerang). But she knows this part will be as durable as whatever traditionally manufactured part it's replacing.

My tour ends where it began, among the plastic robots and phone cases. In two hours, the history of additive manufacturing has passed before my eyes, starting with technical applications and ending in homes and offices-not unlike the trajectory of computers and laser printers. With the ability to replicate or create such objects on demand, says Dale Dougherty, publisher of Make magazine-part of the burgeoning DIY "Maker Movement" that privileges customization over commodities-the 3-D printer is "Wal-Mart in the palm of your hand."

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Wandering the brightly lit halls of the 3D Systems' plant in Rock Hill, South Carolina, I gaze upon objects strange and wondrous. A fully functioning guitar made of nylon. A phalanx of mandibles studded with atrocious-looking teeth. The skeleton of a whale. A five-color, full-scale prototype of a high-heeled shoe.

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3D-Printing makes every home a factory.       Siddartha Padala

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3D-Printing makes every home a factory.       Siddartha Padala

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Its use long confined to tech-savvy engineering students and Silicon Valley tinkerers, the 3-D printer has suddenly morphed into an off-the-shelf technology, with big implications for R&D and society at large. The printers, which create physical objects directly from digital renderings, could revolutionize the manufacture of everything from pharmaceuticals to automobiles.

In one notable application, chemists at the University of Glasgow last year developed a method [pdf] for assembling chemical compounds using open-source software and a pair of $2,000 3-D printers. One printer's robotically controlled syringe deposited gels that hardened into half of a reaction vessel. A second printer painted chemical compounds into the shell, which was sealed by the first printer. The compounds then combined in the completed reaction vessel, creating new, previously unsynthesized chemicals.

As a test, the Scottish team soon plans to use a similar process to create a common painkiller, ibuprofen. In the future, automated labs outfitted with just a few chemical printers and an Internet connection might make custom-tailored medicines on demand in your doctor's office, says study author Lee Cronin.

Also this year, a team of Belgian engineers printed a full-sized race car, suggesting a more efficient alternative to assembly lines. In another, more politically charged development, an American gunsmith printed functioning parts for a .22-caliber pistol. Soon after, a group called Defense Distributed generated controversy when it announced a project to create a fully printable 3-D gun and then make its plans freely available on the Internet. The group raised $20,000 before the company from which it had rented its printer revoked the lease and reclaimed it, citing legal issues. Defense Distributed, however, remains committed to its goal of making 3-D printed guns commonplace.

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3-D Printers Make Every Home a Factory | DiscoverMagazine.com

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Its use long confined to tech-savvy engineering students and Silicon Valley tinkerers, the 3-D printer has suddenly morphed into an off-the-shelf technology, with big implications for R&D and society at large. The printers, which create physical objects directly from digital renderings, could revolutionize the manufacture of everything from pharmaceuticals to automobiles.

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How I Collected the Information- Vishu Antani

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How I Collected the Information- Vishu Antani

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1. I browsed through google Scholar website for articles within the category of 3-D printing and which came under electronics stream.

2. Once I found the article, I read the article and browsed about the technology on google till I had an in-depth idea about it.

3. I saw quite a few videos on YouTube and also read some more articles that helped me understand the topic better.

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(Your opinion matters...)

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(U.S. National Library Website)

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Abstract

This work describes a bio-potential acquisition system for portable ubiquitous healthcare applications using flexible polydimethylsiloxane dry electrodes (FPDEs) and a low-power recording circuit. This novel FPDE used Au as the skin contact layer, which was made using a CO ₂ laser and replica method technology. The FPDE was revised from a commercial bio-potential electrode with a conductive snap using dry electrodes rather than wet electrodes that proposed reliable and robust attachment for the purpose of measurement, and attaching velcro made it wearable on the forearm for bio-potential applications. Furthermore, this study proposes a recording device to store bio-potential signal data and provides portability and low-power consumption for the proposed acquisition system. To acquire differential bio-potentials, such as electrocardiogram (ECG) signals, the proposed recording device includes a low-power front-end acquisition chip fabricated using a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process, a commercial microcontroller (MSP430F149), and a secure digital (SD) card for portable healthcare applications. The proposed system can obtain ECG signals efficiently and are comfortable to the skin. The power consumption of the system is about 85 mW for continuous working over a 3 day period with two AA batteries. It can also be used as a compact Holter ECG system.

Keywords: dry electrode, PDMS, PMMA, bio-potential acquisition system, ECG

1. Introducation

A recent surge of research on wireless bio-potential acquisition devices has made healthcare more convenient and comfortable [ 1- 4]. However, more recently, the ubiquitous healthcare data acquisition device literature has paid increasing attention to low-power biomedical chips [ 5- 7]. These studies have resulted in bio-potential recording devices and improvements in patient care. Recording bio-potential acquisition systems usually requires electrodes with several points, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that digitizes the amplified signals, and an analog conditioning stage that amplifies and filters the signal, which is followed by a processing unit that manages and processes bio-differential signals such as heart beat rate or QRS complex waves.

Ambulatory bio-potential monitoring is a good method for detecting heart disease and is useful in many situations, including community clinics, in homes and in hospitals. Therefore, several studies have attempted to provide continuous bio-potential monitoring for situations occurring in everyday life. A good example of ECG monitoring is the Holter system [ 8- 11]. The subject can basically record ECG data for 24 hours. However, bio-electrodes (e.g., wet electrodes) have been traditionally used to record ECG signals, and long term application of wet electrodes may result in skin irritation and signal degradation due to dehydration [ 12]. Therefore, finding comfortable and convenient methods for ECG measurement are very important. Moreover, this work not only provides a low-power acquisition system but also proposes new flexible dry electrodes for the purpose of improving ECG measurement.

Bio-potential electrodes transform the signals from the skin tissue to the acquisition device. Bio-electrodes (e.g., wet electrodes) have traditionally been used to record bio-potential signals by using electric gel to improve electric conductivity. This method is not optimal because its long-term use can cause itchiness, reddening, and swelling at contact points in subjects. To overcome these disadvantages, stiff active dry electrodes (nonintrusive) [ 13- 15] incorporate a buffering circuit for impedance transformation and signal conditioning. Stiff (nonintrusive) passive dry electrodes doesn't require a buffering circuit, but need the conductive gel to fix them on the skin to reduce motion artifacts [ 16].

In recent years, considerable attention has been given to various dry electrode designs, such as Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) dry electrodes (intrusive) [ 7, 17- 22], soft dry electrodes (nonintrusive) [ 23], dry electrophysiology electrodes using carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays (nonintrusive) [ 24], conductive textile-based electrodes (nonintrusive) [ 25], and flexible polymeric dry electrodes (nonintrusive) [ 26- 28]. To conclude, these studies explain why dry electrodes are important for bio-potential acquisition devices.

The acquisition electrodes used affect the quality of the biomedical signal. Some dry electrodes are made of stiff substrates that can damage skin tissue when the electrode is removed [ 7, 17- 22]. Recently, Gruetzmann et al. [ 23] propose a soft and flexible electrode to improve the motion artifacts in order to reduced contact impedance for ECG measurement. Under slight pressure, the soft and flexible dry electrode on skin that has well contact with skin than stiff electrodes. Baek et al. were the first to propose a PDMS-based flexible dry electrode [ 26] for ECG measurement and PDMS is a bio-compatible material [ 26- 29]. Kim et al. [ 27] and Moon et al. [ 28] used the same material to fabricate sensor substrates. However, connecting the wire to the PDMS electrode is challenging. Generally the conductive glue is used as the connective interface between the wire and the PDMS [ 26- 28], which provides a weak interface connection and unstable data transmission because the conductive glue is easily detached from the PDMS-based electrode during dynamic recording sessions such as moving or running. This study proposes to transform a commercial bio-potential electrode with a conductive snap (Medi-Trace™, COVIDIEN, Mansfield, MA, USA) into an FPDE using a CO ₂ laser and replica method technology. It does not damage skin and provides a convenient wire connection and stable data transmission for long-term use.

The design proposed in this study focuses on both the comfort and performance of bio-potential acquisition systems in order to increase the autonomy of patients and improve their quality of life. depicts schematically the proposed bio-potential acquisition system, which includes an FPDE and a low-power recording circuit for portable ubiquitous healthcare applications. All low-power recording circuits include state-of-the-art low-power micro-controllers, a low-power front-end acquisition chip fabricated using the standard CMOS process, and an SD card for portable use.

The front-end bio-potential acquisition chip included an ultra-low-power instrumentation amplifier (IA), filter, and gain stage. Also, noises interfere with bio-potential signals coupled to the human body. Under these circumstances, front-end circuits with a high common mode rejection ratio (C.M.R.R.), power supply rejection ratio (P.S.R.R), low-noise, and filters are required to extract signals. The proposed processing chip has low-power consumption, low noise, and high C.M.R.R. properties. These features make it a feasible bio-potential signal acquisition device. Furthermore, this proposed recording device can process and store bio-potential signal data. It is reusable, has low power consumption, and is portable. Users may record their bio-potential signals anywhere without the use of wireless receiver devices. This device can also easily be integrated with consumer electronics devices.

The FPDE integrates the low-power front-end bio-potential acquisition circuit, MCU, and SD card for the purpose of recording the ECG signal. The proposed acquisition system can be used long-term and is more comfortable than other alternatives.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Flexible PDMS Dry Electrode (FPDE)

In recent years, most laboratories have used MEMS technology to fabricate dry electrodes. For example, Baek et al. manufactured flexible polymeric dry electrode made of a PDMS material to measure ECG signals [ 26]. Their research proposed a bio-compatible material to solve the problems of using wet electrodes and MEMS dry electrodes that would cause itchiness, irritation, or skin tissue injury during long-term use. Typically conductive glue has been used as the connective interface between the wire and the PDMS [ 26- 28]. This method provides a weak wire connection and unstable data transmission when the conductive glue is separated from the PDMS-based electrode. The proposed FPDE adopted a snap coonector instead of the glue to secure the interface connection firmly between the electrode and wire, as shown in . The data transmission method is the same as a wet electrode that provides reliable attached for measurement, and is better than other references [ 26- 28] for dynamic recording. The FPDE can provide stable signal transmission and can be combined with conventional hospital ECG measurement instruments.

In this study, a stair-shape polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) master was used to fabricate the FPDE with a commercial bio-potential electrode equipped with a conductive snap. The FPDE acquired the ECG signal and transmitted it to the front-end acquisition circuit via the commercial bio-potential electrode with a conductive snap [ 5, 7, 20]. The proposed FPDE was integrated with commercial Velcro. The Velcro was firmly bonded to the surface of the FPDE and the commercial bio-potential electrode with a conductive snap combined with a medical commercial cable line (Compumedics Limited, Melbourne, Australia) was used for transmitting ECG signals. Hence, the FPDE could acquire and transmit ECG signals from skin tissue to the proposed device. This method provides the same interface for integration with conventional hospital ECG measurement instruments and portable devices as other methods. Hence, the FPDE can directly replace a wet electrode without changing the transmission interface. The proposed FPDE has the following advantages: (1) it integrates with the commercial bio-potential electrode with a conductive snap to achieve easy measurement, and (2) it does not cause itchiness, irritation, or skin tissue injury during long-term use.

This study proposes the use of a commercial CO ₂ laser machine (M300-35w, Universal Laser System Inc., Scottsdale, AZ, USA) that can produce a minimum line width of about 100 um. The laser was used to carve the PMMA plate that was employed as a mask and master for two reasons: (1) to define the pattern of the metal film and (2) to define the FPDE structure using a replica molding method. The laser technique was used to fabricate the FPDE, and the universal manufacturing methods for electrodes are used (photolithography and metal etching processes). This method can fabricate a high aspect ratio 3D structure, and thus far, no studies have used this method to fabricate electrodes and as a mask to define a metal pattern using a CO ₂ laser, which not only reduces metal etching and environmental pollution, but also the PMMA mask and master can be reused, thus reducing production time.

2.2. FPDE Fabrication Process

The FPDE structure was fabricated using a 6 × 3 cm ² PMMA plate. First, the PMMA plate was cleaned with deionized (DI) water and alcohol. After cleaning, the cross graphics were defined on the sides using a CO ₂ laser. Then the AZ5214 (AZ5214, Clariant, Tokyo, Japan) was spin-coated on the master. The resist layer like a sacrificial layer can be released smoothly by acetone to protect the FPDE structure. The PDMS replica molding process is shown in .

The PDMS solution was prepared from a mixture of Sylgard 184 silicon elastomer base and silicon elastomer curing agent (from Dow Corning, Midland, MI, USA) with a weight ratio of 10:1. After mixing, the PDMS was placed into a vacuum chamber at 750 mmHg for 30 minutes to allow trapped air bubbles produced during the mixing process to escape from the mixture. The PDMS solution was poured into the fabricated PMMA master. The PDMS was trapped in the PMMA master and cured at 70 °C for 3 hours. After curing for 3 hours, the PDMS structure was peeled off the PMMA master. The PDMS surface was exposed to an oxygen plasma ion to adhere it to the metal film [ 30]. Hoever, the Au surface of FPDE could flake off slightly after long-term use without interfering with ECG measurements. This work applied an O ₂ plasma to reduce flake off phenomena. The contact of the PDMS was carved by the CO ₂ laser, and Ti (100 nm) and Au (400 nm) films were evaporated using an E-beam evaporator. The deposition conditions of the metal layers are summarized in .

The FPDE metal patterns were implemented according to the following process: (1) the PDMS solution was poured, and the commercial bio-potential electrode with a conductive snap was put onto the PMMA master, (2) the PMMA mask and PDMS were placed in an e-beam chamber to deposit titanium (used as an adhesion layer). Finally, a gold pattern could be located in the center.

2.3. Implementation of the Acquisition Chip-DDA

schematically depicts the proposed front-end bio-potential acquisition circuits, which include three parts: preamplifiers, filters, and a gain stage.

In this study, the filter and the gain stage amplifiers were normal two-stage amplifiers. The gain of the amplifier could be tuned for various biomedical measurements by trimming the external resistor value, and the bandwidth of the filters could be designed to suit the system.

The preamplifier adopted DDA architecture for achieving high C.M.R.R., high input impedance, low-power consumption, and low-noise performance. These features make it suitable for the proposed bio-potential acquisition system application. The advantage of DDA is its simple structure, which reduces the amount of power it requires. The preamplifier adopted DDA architecture for achieving high C.M.R.R., high input impedance, low-power consumption and low noise performance. These features make it suitable for the proposed bio-potential acquisition device application. As shown in , the resistors, R1 and R2 only affect the amplification. The DDA transfer function is presented in Equation (1) [ 31], which reveals that the non-inverting DDA provides unity gain in dc level input signal, and therefore it could suppress the DC biomedical offset signal without a high pass filter:

The DDA of the reference paper [ 20, 31] adopted a three-stage structure. In this study, a simple two-stage DDA architecture is presented for obtaining a good balance between power and gain. The DDA circuit is depicted in . However, both the left and right arms of users were connected to the V pp and V pn of the DDA, and the legs were connected with a V nn node for the purpose of measuring ECG signals.

In addition to the simple structure, the bias current of the DDA circuit can be adjusted and reduced as much as possible in order to decrease power consumption, but the open loop gain of the DDA circuit must be sufficient to meet the specification at the same time. In order to reduce the original flicker noise, the input pair transistors (M1-M2 and M3-M4) are longer than those in the PMOS design. The second-stage amplifier is not as important for noise performance. Therefore, the input and load devices are sized to assist common-centroid layout and matching. Miller capacitance Cc is used to increase the phase margin. shows the performance of the DDA circuit.

2.4. Peripheral Devices for Data Transmission and Storage

An ultra-low-power high-performance 16-bit RISC microcontroller (MSP430F149, Texas Instruments, Dallas, TX, USA) and an SD card were selected [ 35]. The microcontroller consumes 0.62 mW in active mode and one channel is used to record ECG signal, but the adopted MCU can offer 8-channel (max.). Its low standby power (3.6 μW), and fast wakeup time enable duty-cycle operation of the microcontroller. The microcontroller can process biomedical analog signals using the built-in ADC, and the resolution on ADC is sufficient for ECG/electroencephalogram (EEG) acquisition. The low-power dissipation feature is very suitable for long-term monitoring. The MSP430F149 links to a storage device (SD card) and provides communication data. In this system, the microcontroller performs the functions of processing bio-potential signals, power management, and controlling SD card communication. The SD card, a standard flash memory card can be used for portable application [ 36] due to small size and low power consumption. Recording for 24 hours requires about 85MB for 2bytes per sampling with 512Hz sampling rate as Equation (2), and a SD card with 1 GB capacity allows data storage for more than one week:

3. Results and Discussion

3.1. The Package FPDE

In this study, an FPDE was successfully fabricated. The Ti (100 nm) and Au (400 nm) layers were deposited stably on the surface of a PDMS structure, and metal patterns were created effectively by using a PMMA plate as a mask, which was illustrated in . The electrode layer was uniformly deposited on the convex shape structure, and the contact area was about 27.3 mm ². To make the FPDE convenient for measuring ECG signals, the FPDE was placed on a subject's body for measurement and integrated with Velcro used as an adhesive, as shown in (b and c).

The Velcro has viscous glue that was firmly bonded to the surface of the FPDE, and a commercial bio-potential electrode with a conductive snap was used via a connection wire intended to transform ECG signals from skin tissue to the acquisition device. This provides a convenient and stable method for combination with conventional hospital ECG measurement instruments or portable devices.

3.2. Measuring Impedance of FPDE

The impedances versus frequency of the FPDE and wet electrodes at (a) 20 to 1 KHz and (b) 20 to 100 Hz are shown in . For measuring both the impedances of the FPDE and the wet electrode, a precision LCR meter (Agilent E4980A precision LCR meter, Agilent Technologies, Inc., Santa Clara, CA, USA) was adopted. The LCR meter can support impedance measurement of two terminal components, such as capacitors, inductors, and resistors components [ 37]. Hence it was very suitable for measuring the impedances of the electrodes. The wet electrode and the proposed FPDE were both placed on the forearm. The measurement positions of the electrodes were set in the center of the anterior surface (between the wrist and the elbow) of the user's arm. The impedances were recorded between each pair of electrodes according to the change in frequency (20-1 kHz and 20-100 Hz) with a signal level of 5 mV. Twenty tests were performed on five different subjects in this study, and the impedance value of the FPDE was similar to the wet electrode during the biomedical frequency band. The change trend of the impedance was also similar to that of Karilainen's and Baek's results [ 38, 26].

shows the significant impedance variations of wet electrodes with long-term test (6 hours) at 1 kHz for five subjects, but not for the proposed FPDE electrode. This is because the conductive gel is getting dry during long-term use [ 26].

3.3. Bio-Potential Acquisition System

This proposed acquisition system was implemented and integrated with novel FPDE sensors, low-power bio-potential acquisition chip, MCU, and an SD card. summarizes the performance of the proposed acquisition device. The power consumption value of this work is better than the Holter ECG system [ 39]. In addition to these systems, Holter recorder [ 40], Digitrak XT [ 41] and Zio patch (iRhythm) [ 42] obtain more excellent power performance than this work. Nevertheless, this work provides not only novel FPDE but also low-power bio-potential acquisition chip for ECG signal acquisition. The acquisition chip consumes only 0.01% of total power consumption, while the commercial component (SD card, regulator and MCU) requires 99.9% power consumption for system integration. Especially, the commercial component SD card is not considered for low power consumption, it consumes most of power. In future, the power consumption, size and weight of the system may be significantly improved by SOC integration of all components. This will also allow the memory storage power consumption to no longer dominate. The resulting system would significantly outperform the devices listed in in terms of size, weight and power consumption. Furthermore, the proposed device could be added data compression algorithm to save power for more individualized health care application in the future. shows the proposed device, including FPDE and the low-power bio-potential recording device.

The size of the device PCB was 5.8 × 5.0 cm ², and the device could be powered by two AA batteries used as the power supply. indicates the proposed FPDE is able to record ECG signals as clearly as the general wet electrodes.

4. Conclusions

In this paper, a commercial bio-potential electrode with a conductive snap was successfully adapted to a proposed FPDE that could provide reliable and robust attachment for a measurement method using a CO ₂ laser and replica method technology. It increases sensing stability and comfort for the purpose of long-term use. Additionally, the structure of the FPDE can be successfully fabricated using the replica method, and the mask made by the CO ₂ laser can be used to define metal film with a PMMA plate. Hence, the FPDE fabrication process proposed in this work provides a simple and stability deposition method to define metal pattern on a PDMS substrate, and the FPDE can obtain ECG signals efficiently and comfortably. Furthermore, we also successfully propose an ultra-low-power bio-potential acquisition chip and a storage device using an SD card for portable ECG recording. This bio-potential acquisition system not only makes the sensor more comfortable to wear, but also reduces the power consumption of portable applications. The measurement results show that the low-power bio-potential acquisition system could be applied to individualized healthcare services or integrated with a smart sensing system for normal homecare applications.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by the National Nano Device Laboratories (NDL, NDL99-C02S-069), Taiwan National Science Council (Contract No.99-2220-E-009-019, No.99-2220-E-009-072), I-RiCE Program under Grant (No. NSC-99-2911-I-010-101), Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology in Nation Cheng Kung University provided all instruments and resources and the National Chip Implementation Center (CIC), Taiwan for technical support and chip fabrication service.

References

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A Low-Power Bio-Potential Acquisition System with Flexible PDMS Dry Electrodes for Portable Ubiquitous Healthcare Applications

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This work describes a bio-potential acquisition system for portable ubiquitous healthcare applications using flexible polydimethylsiloxane dry electrodes (FPDEs) and a low-power recording circuit. This novel FPDE used Au as the skin contact layer, which was made using a CO 2 laser and replica method technology.

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(YouTube Video)

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The EEG signal of neuro gadgets using dry electrodes

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Dry electrodes are very popular amongst neuro gadgets. In this clip we gutted a mindflex which uses dry electrodes and connected them to our bio amplifier. Intially, the signal quality was so poor that only 50Hz mains could be seen but then it improved over a period of 10mins which finally allowed displaying the EEG mixed with the artefacts which one would expect: from EOG, EMG and cable movements.

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(TED Talk on making 3-D Printing Faster)

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What if 3D printing was 100x faster? | Joseph DeSimone

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Summary of the Original Document - Vishu Antani

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Summary of the Original Document - Vishu Antani

# data[].attributes.body
(Grab the essence of the Document)

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A 3-D Printed Dry Electrode for EEG and ECG Recording  - Vishu Antani

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A 3-D Printed Dry Electrode for EEG and ECG Recording  - Vishu Antani

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(Original Document

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This survey is being taken to know about the awareness of public about 3D Printing.

Target Audience:

Students of Engineering and Scientists.Input will be used to infer about the benefits and disadvantages of this technology in the future.

Questionnaire:

1.Did this article help you in knowing about 3D Printing?

2.What did u learn about 3D Printing from this Padlet?

3.Is this technology better than the traditonal method to produce tools and objects?

4.Will this technology replace the traditional method, which is being used now, in the coming future?

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The Process of Stereolithography:                               -  Siddartha Padala

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The Process of Stereolithography:                               -  Siddartha Padala

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This video shows a good basic description of how stereolithography works.

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                            - Siddartha Padala

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                            - Siddartha Padala

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http://www.facebook.com/printto3d Pretty much anything these days! Here are some sample parts I have made using an FDM 3D modeler. www.printo3d.com Please see my channel page for many more rapid prototyping videos or you can simply click on "More Videos From Team222badbrad" below.

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                        - Siddartha Padala

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                        - Siddartha Padala

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Manufacturing and retail could get a much- needed boost from a newly- developed 3D chocolate printer. In the long term the technology could be used by custom...

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To collect the data that I have found till now, I used Google to find relevant websites and articles which had scholary articles based on 3D Printing. I also used relevant videos from youtube and some journals from the web

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Articles from

http://www.popsci.com/find/3D%20Printing?page=4

http://www.pwc.com/us/en/technology-forecast/2014/3d-printing/features/future-3d-printing.html

https://hbr.org/2013/03/3-d-printing-will-change-the-world

http://www.csc.com/townhall/insights/94525-how_3d_printing_will_turn_manufacturing_on_its_head

Book from

http://pro.sculpteo.com/en/get/ebook/unstoppable_3D_printing/

Videos from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdzooQQDWGg#t=53

http://www.3ders.org/3d-printing-basics.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=2&v=iceiNb_1E0I

Journal from

http://www.springer.com/materials/journal/40861

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                             -       Siddartha Padala

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                             -       Siddartha Padala

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To anyone who hasn't seen it demonstrated, 3-D printing sounds futuristic-like the meals that materialized in the Jetsons' oven at the touch of a keypad. But the technology is quite straightforward: It is a small evolutionary step from spraying toner on paper to putting down layers of something more substantial (such as plastic resin) until the layers add up to an object. And yet, by enabling a machine to produce objects of any shape, on the spot and as needed, 3-D printing really is ushering in a new era.

As applications of the technology expand and prices drop, the first big implication is that more goods will be manufactured at or close to their point of purchase or consumption. This might even mean household-level production of some things. (You'll pay for raw materials and the IP-the software files for any designs you can't find free on the web.) Short of that, many goods that have relied on the scale efficiencies of large, centralized plants will be produced locally. Even if the per-unit production cost is higher, it will be more than offset by the elimination of shipping and of buffer inventories. Whereas cars today are made by just a few hundred factories around the world, they might one day be made in every metropolitan area. Parts could be made at dealerships and repair shops, and assembly plants could eliminate the need for supply chain management by making components as needed.

Another implication is that goods will be infinitely more customized, because altering them won't require retooling, only tweaking the instructions in the software. Creativity in meeting individuals' needs will come to the fore, just as quality control did in the age of rolling out sameness.

These first-order implications will cause businesses all along the supply, manufacturing, and retailing chains to rethink their strategies and operations. And a second-order implication will have even greater impact. As 3-D printing takes hold, the factors that have made China the workshop of the world will lose much of their force.

China has grabbed outsourced-manufacturing contracts from every mature economy by pushing the mass-manufacturing model to its limit. It not only aggregates enough demand to create unprecedented efficiencies of scale but also minimizes a key cost: labor. Chinese government interventions have been pro-producer at every turn, favoring the growth of the country's manufacturers over the purchasing power and living standards of its consumers.

Under a model of widely distributed, highly flexible, small-scale manufacturing, these daunting advantages become liabilities. No workforce can be paid little enough to make up for the cost of shipping across oceans. And few managers raised in a pro-producer climate have the consumer instincts to compete on customization.

It seems that the United States and other Western countries, almost in spite of themselves, will pull off the old judo technique of exploiting a competitor's lack of balance and making its own massive weight instrumental in its fall.

China won't be a loser in the new era; like every nation, it will have a domestic market to serve on a local basis, and its domestic market is huge. And not all products lend themselves to 3-D printing. But China will have to give up on being the mass-manufacturing powerhouse of the world. The strategy that has given it such political heft won't serve it in the future.

The great transfer of wealth and jobs to the East over the past two decades may have seemed a decisive tipping point. But this new technology will change again how the world leans.

A version of this article appeared in the March 2013 issue of Harvard Business Review.

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To anyone who hasn't seen it demonstrated, 3-D printing sounds futuristic-like the meals that materialized in the Jetsons' oven at the touch of a keypad. But the technology is quite straightforward: It is a small evolutionary step from spraying toner on paper to putting down layers of something more substantial (such as plastic resin) until [...]

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                          -    Siddartha Padala

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                          -    Siddartha Padala

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New terms related to 3D Printing:                                          -Siddartha Padala

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New terms related to 3D Printing:                                          -Siddartha Padala

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1.Stereolithography :

It is an additive manufacturing or 3D printing technology used for producing models, prototypes, patterns, and production parts up one layer at a time using lithographic methods.

2.Extrusion :

It is a process used to create objects of a fixed cross-sectional profile. A material is pushed through a die of the desired cross-section. The two main advantages of this process over other manufacturing processes are its ability to create very complex cross-sections, and to work materials that are brittle, because the material only encounters compressive and shear stresses.

3.CAD/CAM Software :

Computer Aided Design / Computer Aided Manufacturing. The use of 3D modelling software to aid the design testing and manufacture of parts.

4.ABS Plastic :

crylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, a thermoplastic used as a 3D printer material. Often ABS is used as a short form, actually referring to filament made of ABS: 'Do you use ABS in your Mendel?' Be careful that sometimes filament sold as ABS is in fact mixed with other thermoplastic, thus altering its characteristics. The melting temperature is 220-230°C, but can be different if the manufacturer has mixed this with other thermoplastics. ABS is soluble in acetone and can be use to smooth the surface of the print-out.

5.Photopolymer :

Photopolymers are used in light reaction systems either with ultraviolet or visible energy. The liquid material is cross-linked or hardened when exposed to light. Photopolymers are used in both Digital Light Processing(DLP) and Stereolithography(SLA) systems.

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Why is 3D Printing the future?                                              - Siddartha Padala

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Why is 3D Printing the future?                                              - Siddartha Padala

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anyone who hasn’t seen it demonstrated, 3-D printing sounds futuristic—like the meals that materialized in the Jetsons’ oven at the touch of a keypad. But the technology is quite straightforward: It is a small evolutionary step from spraying toner on paper to putting down layers of something more substantial (such as plastic resin) until the layers add up to an object. And yet, by enabling a machine to produce objects of any shape, on the spot and as needed, 3-D printing really is ushering in a new era. As applications of the technology expand and prices drop, the first big implication is that more goods will be manufactured at or close to their point of purchase or consumption. This might even mean household-level production of some things. (You’ll pay for raw materials and the IP—the software files for any designs you can’t find free on the web.) Short of that, many goods that have relied on the scale efficiencies of large, centralized plants will be produced locally. Even if the per-unit production cost is higher, it will be more than offset by the elimination of shipping and of buffer inventories. Whereas cars today are made by just a few hundred factories around the world, they might one day be made in every metropolitan area. Parts could be made at dealerships and repair shops, and assembly plants could eliminate the need for supply chain management by making components as needed. Another implication is that goods will be infinitely more customized, because altering them won’t require retooling, only tweaking the instructions in the software. Creativity in meeting individuals’ needs will come to the fore, just as quality control did in the age of rolling out sameness.

These first-order implications will cause businesses all along the supply, manufacturing, and retailing chains to rethink their strategies and operations. And a second-order implication will have even greater impact. As 3-D printing takes hold, the factors that have made China the workshop of the world will lose much of their force.

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An open access resource to the academic, governmental, industrial, and broader communities on processing, characterization, modeling, and applications of novel materials for 3D printing as well as the systems that are created from ...

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What are applications of 3D Printing in Manufacturing? - Siddartha Padala

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What are applications of 3D Printing in Manufacturing? - Siddartha Padala

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3D printing make it possible to make a part from scratch in just hours. It allows designers and developers to go from flat screen to exact part.

Nowadays almost everything from aerospace components to toys are getting built with the help of 3D printers. 3D printing is also used for jewelry and art, architecture, fashion design, art, architecture and interior design.

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What materials are used for3D Printing?    - Siddartha Padala

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What materials are used for3D Printing?    - Siddartha Padala

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There are a lot of materials which can be used for 3D Printing.Many different materials can be used for 3D printing, such as ABS plastic, PLA, polyamide (nylon), glass filled polyamide, stereolithography materials (epoxy resins), silver, titanium, steel, wax, photopolymers and polycarbonate.

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                              - Siddartha Padala

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                              - Siddartha Padala

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                                     - Siddartha Padala

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                                     - Siddartha Padala

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How does 3D Printing work?      Siddartha Padala

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How does 3D Printing work?      Siddartha Padala

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There are 3 main steps to 3D printing.

The first one is the part just before the printing, when you prepare the 3D file of the object you want to print. This 3D file can be created on a CAD software, 3D scanned or directly uploaded from a marketplace. Once you have checked that your 3D file is ready to be printed, you can move forward the second step.

The second step is the process of printing.

First, you need to choose which material you want to use according to the properties of your object. The range of materials used in the research and development of 3D printing is very broad. It includes Plastic, Ceramic, Resin, Metal, Sand, Textile, Biomaterial, Glass, Food and even Lunar dust! Still, at the entry level of the market the most common uses are Plastic, Resin Metal , Ceramic, Sand and there are plenty of finishing options that allow you to create the design you had in mind. The other materials belong for the moment to the research laboratories experiences.

The third step is the finishing operations. This complex step involves specific skills and materials. The object once printed cannot be directly delivered or used it needs sanding, lacquer or painting to obtain the final aspect.

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When was 3D Printing invented and who invented it?  -  Siddartha Padala 

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When was 3D Printing invented and who invented it?  -  Siddartha Padala 

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Early Additive Manufacturing (AM) equipment and materials were developed in the 1980s. In 1981, Hideo Kodama of Nagoya Municipal Industrial Research Institute invented two AM fabricating methods of a three-dimensional plastic model with photo-hardening polymer, where the UV exposure area is controlled by a mask pattern or the scanning fiber transmitter.Then in 1984, Chuck Hull developed a prototype system based on a process known as stereolithography, in which layers are added by curing photopolymers with ultraviolet light lasers. Hull defined the process as a "system for generating three-dimensional objects by creating a cross-sectional pattern of the object to be formed," but this had been already invented by Kodama. Hull's contribution is the design of the STL (Stereolithographic) file format widely accepted by 3D printing software as well as the digital slicing and infill strategies common to many processes today. The term 3Dprinting originally referred to a process employing standard and custom inkjet print heads. The technology is used by most 3D printers to date.

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Summary:                 - Siddartha Padala

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Summary:                 - Siddartha Padala

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3D Printing or Additive Manufacturing is a process used to make three dimensional objects. In the recent times, it has developed a lot and is being used in various regions like Manufacturing tools, application in aerospace industry, art, manufacture of artificial organs.Additive Manufacturing is a process in which an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the entire object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of the eventual object.It all starts with making a virtual design of the object you want to create. This virtual design is made in a CAD (Computer Aided Design) file using a 3D modelling program.These 3D scanners use various technologies like volumetric scanning, modulated light for scanning. the 3D modeling software “slices” the final model into hundreds or thousands of horizontal layers. When the sliced file is uploaded in a 3D printer, the object can be created layer by layer. 3D Printers can be used to rapid prototyping of tools. Rapid prototyping reduced the cost and time required for the production. 3D printing can be used in research labs due to its ability to make specialized geometries. 3D printing is also used in making apparel like shoes, clothing, etc.

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                                   - Siddartha Padala

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                                   - Siddartha Padala

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Applications of 3D Printing in Manufacturing      - Siddartha Padala

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Applications of 3D Printing in Manufacturing      - Siddartha Padala

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3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive process an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the entire object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of the eventual object.

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3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file.

The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive process an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of the eventual object.

3D printing is the opposite of subtractive manufacturing which is cutting out / hollowing out a piece of metal or plastic with for instance a milling machine.

3D printing enables you to produce complex (functional) shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing methods.

The Best 3D printers for Beginners

How Does 3D Printing Work?

It all starts with the creation of a 3D model in your computer. This digital design is for instance a CAD (Computer Aided Design) file. A 3D model is either created from the ground up with 3D modeling software or based on data generated with a 3D scanner. With a 3D scanner you're able to create a digital copy of an object.

3D Scanners

Currently, prices of 3D scanners range from expensive industrial grade 3D scanners to $30 DIY scanners anyone can make at home.

3D Modeling Software

3D modeling software come in many forms. There's industrial grade software that costs thousands a year per license, but also free open source software, like Blender, for instance. You can find some beginner video tutorials on our Blender tutorials page.

3D modeling software are often made to suit the functions of the user's industry. This has resulted in the rise of software suited to specific niches. As a result, there are software applications on the market that cater to aerospace or transportation, furniture design or fabrics and fashion among many others.

For this reason, when you are starting out, the amount of choices can be a bit overwhelming, we recommend starting with Tinkercad. Tinkercad is available for free and it works in browsers that support WebGL, for instance Google Chrome. They offer beginner lessons and has a built in option to get your object printed via various 3D print services.

When you have a 3D model, the next step is to prepare it in order to make it 3D printable.

Slicing: From 3D Model to 3D Printer

You will have to prepare a 3D model before it is ready to be 3D printed. This is what they call slicing. Slicing is dividing a 3D model into hundreds or thousands of horizontal layers and needs to be done with slicing software.

Sometimes a 3D model can be sliced from within a 3D modeling software application. It is also possible that you are forced to use a certain slicing tool for a certain 3D printer.

When your 3D model is sliced, you are ready to feed it to your 3D printer. This can be done via USB, SD or Wi-Fi. It really depends on what brand and type 3D Printer you have. When a file is uploaded in a 3D printer, the object is ready to be 3D printed layer by layer.

Video: How 3D Printing Works

Learn How to 3D Print - Where to Start?

Getting started with 3D printing means asking yourself what you would like to learn first. Are you interested in the hardware, or do you want to focus on the end result - creating objects? Answering this question could lead you to the decision if whether you should buy a pre-assembled 3D Printer or a DIY 3D Printer kit. Read more in our ' 3D Printers for Beginners ' buyers guide.

Which 3D Printer Is Right for You?
In case you have a tight budget and you want to start your journey into learning 3D printing, cheap 3D printer kits can be a great starting point. If you are interested in going this route, please read our article about cheap 3D printer kits. We explain what to look for when you're comparing cheap DIY kits.

Besides the examples above, there are a bunch of different elements which will help decide what the best 3D printer is for you. Will it be used in the classroom? Will it be used for small batch production? For more information, please read our buyers guide: The Best 3D Printers of 2018.

Looking for an overview of all 3D printers currently available? Use our tool and compare 3D printers.

3D Printing Industry

The worldwide 3D printing industry is expected to grow from $3.07B in revenue in 2013 to $12.8B by 2018, and exceed $21B in worldwide revenue by 2020. As it evolves, 3D printing technology is destined to transform almost every major industry and change the way we live, work, and play in the future.
Source: Wohlers Report 2015

The 3D printing industry encompasses many forms of technologies and materials. When most people think of 3D printing they are thinking of a simple desktop FDM printer but that's not the entire picture. 3D printing can be divided into metal, fabrics, bio and a whole host of other industries. For this reason, it's important to see it as a cluster of diverse industries with a myriad of different applications.

In the first half of 2017, Sculpteo's state of 3D printing reported its uses in industrial sectors as:

Consumer Goods (17%)

Industrial Goods (17%)

High Tech (13%)

Services (9%)

Healthcare sectors (7%)

In the third quarter of 2017, Materialise reported increased revenues for their software, medical and manufacturing divisions. The revenue amounted to a $6 million increase in total when compared to the previous year. This is indicative of those very same increasing applications within the industry as the field grows larger.

3D printing is becoming more and more intertwined with the day-to-day operations of businesses. In terms of outlook, CEOs definitely see 3D printing as a benefit. Most expect a 72% rise in spending for 2018 and 55% expect one in 2017. At this stage, most companies are primarily focusing on research and development and prototyping.

The most used materials are plastics, which generally means FFF / FDM are the dominant forms of 3D printing as of 2017 with SLS coming in second. Although, over the years metal printing has been climbing. This is to be expected since there is massive amounts of R and D being put into the metal side of additive manufacturing. Company's like Google and General Electric have been investing in various technologies over the course of the year, possibly having seen the future potential of metal printing.

Examples & Applications of 3D Printing

Applications include rapid prototyping, architectural scale models & maquettes, 3D printed prosthetics and movie props.

Other examples of 3D printing would include reconstructing fossils in paleontology, replicating ancient artifacts in archaeology, reconstructing bones and body parts in forensic pathology and reconstructing heavily damaged evidence acquired from crime scene investigations.

Education

Educators and students have long been using 3D printers in the classroom. 3D printing enables students to materialize their ideas in a fast and affordable way.

Primary & High Schools
3D printer manufacturers have taken up a more direct role in education. Companies often undertake programs to promote technologies. These programs serve as a cheaper way for schools to make 3D printers available for use in classes.

Programs such as Create Education Project (funded by Ultimaker) enable schools to integrate additive manufacturing technologies into their curriculum for essentially no cost. The project lends a 3D printer to schools in exchange for either a blog post about the teacher's experience of using it or a sample of their lesson plan for class. This allows the company to show what 3D printers can do in an educational environment.

Similarly, certain companies provide lesson plans to schools, teaching kids how to use (and sometimes build) them. This is important as many schools may not have anyone on staff with abundant experience in this field.

Similarly, many educational companies such as Kidesign partner up with printer manufacturers to create projects like Kiddeville with very specific aims in mind. This project is a collaborative design project where students designs elements of a model of a city. Over the course of these kinds of projects, teachers guide them through research, development and printing. Such programs give a much more specific goal and a level of focus that regular classes don't have.
Universities
While additive manufacturing-specific degrees are a fairly new advent, universities have long been using 3D printers in other disciplines. There are many educational courses one can take to engage with 3D printing. Universities offer courses on things that are adjacent to 3D printing like CAD and 3D design, which can be applied to 3D printing at a certain stage.

In terms of prototyping, many university programs are turning to printers. There are specialisations in additive manufacturing one can attain through architecture or industrial design degrees. Printed prototypes are also very common in the arts, animation and fashion studies as well.

Research labs in a diverse range of vocations are employing 3D printing for functional use. While most studies are still employing the printers for models, medical and aerospace engineers are putting them to use in creating new technologies. Medical labs are producing all sorts of bio-printers and designs for prosthetics. Engineers are, similarly, incorporating printing into designs automobiles and airplanes.
Workshops & Online Courses
The educational environment is not only limited to institutional and schools. There are a great deal of other ways one can learn about additive manufacturing. One of the increasingly popular ones is to do it online. To supplement online studies, many companies offer discount deals for 3D printers and related tech. One such deal comes packaged with Coursera's online classes.

You can also teach yourself for free by watching YouTube videos. Many YouTubers and online tutors make a living off of assembling 3D printers and creating free tutorials.

Metal printers are expensive and require some training before you can operate them. This requires in person workshops like those offered by 3DMT. Aerospace / Defense, Power Generation, and Electronic manufacturers attend two days of in-depth instruction and receive a detailed overview on 3D printing technologies, followed by an intensive, hands-on curriculum on how to use metal printers in prototyping and production. Courses like this are more professional and often cater to businesses as opposed to only individuals. They can be a great place to learn to use equipment that is ordinarily out of the regular consumer's reach.

Rapid Prototyping

Manufacturers have long used 3D printers in their design process to create prototypes. Using 3D printers for these purposes is called rapid prototyping.

Why use 3D Printers for Rapid Prototyping?
In short: it's fast and cheap. For example, Nike uses 3D printers to create prototypes of running cleats. They used to spend thousands of dollars (and wait weeks) on a prototype before they could hold it in their hands. Now, the cost is only in the tens or hundreds of dollars, and changes can be made instantly on the computer and the prototype reprinted on the same day.

Rapid Manufacturing

Besides rapid prototyping, 3D printing is also used for rapid manufacturing. Rapid manufacturing is a new method of manufacturing where companies are using 3D printers for short run / small batch custom manufacturing. In this way of manufacturing the printed objects are not prototypes but end user products.

Automotive

Car manufacturers, restorers and repairers have been employing 3D printing for a long time. Automotive industry experts only expect the use of AM technologies to grow in the coming years. Companies are using it to produce not just parts, but tools and interior elements. It has also enabled on-site development, leading to a decrease in dependence on foreign manufacturing.

Koenigseg use carbon fiber parts in their One:1 car. Thanks to a Dimension SST 1200es 3D Printer the company saved 40% of the cost and the parts were developed 20% faster than traditional methods. Similarly, Audi is using 3D metal printing to produce spare parts. They are in the midst of basically disrupting their own supply chain by printing spare parts on demand with a metal printer.

Even though large-scale manufacturers are the dominant users of 3D printing, other types of automobile enthusiasts are making their mark as well. Motorcar engineers all over the world are using printed parts to restore old cars. One such example is when Australian engineers printed out parts to bring a delage Type-C back to life. In doing so, they had to print parts that were out of production for decades and they succeeded.

Aviation

The aviation industry currently uses 3D printing in many different forms. Boeing have been exploring the potential of printed parts and airplanes for a long time. Back in 2015 it was estimated that Boeing had more than 20,000 3D printed parts implemented in their airplanes. Boeing is also utilizing metal printing. The 787 uses tons of printed titanium parts, saving the company 2 - 3 million per plane.

Similarly, on the 3D printer supplier side, there are companies carving out a niche in making machines specifically for airplane production. One such machine is Stratasys' H2000, which uses an infinite build mechanism.

3D Printing is also freeing up designers who are looking to rethink the basics of airplanes. Airbus and its engineers have been working to develop airplane frames and shapes that mimic those found in nature. This is allowing companies to produce light-weight aircrafts with better aerodynamics.

Aerospace

If you want to see 3D printing applied in the wildest ways imaginable, look no further than the aerospace industry. From materials to concept printers they are doing some of the most interesting, cutting edge research in the entire field, all for the purpose of making interstellar exploration more habitable.

Space travel requires an ultra durable exterior. Multiple organisations, such as NASA, have been working to perfect the shielding on shuttles using 3D printers. This has enabled them to produce 4D programmable materials that react to conditions in very specific ways. Such a prospect would be impossible with traditional methods.

Researchers have also been working on ways to make materials more accessible. Northwestern university presented a concept for a means of turning extraterrestrial soil into printable parts. The printing methods that they developed allows for printers to create goods out of abundant materials.

Similarly, researchers at the University of Ottawa took this idea a step further by proposing self-replicating printers that process lunar soil. These printers, while still a concept, could lead to exponentially decreasing the amount of construction materials and equipment necessary for a lunar mission. In fact, they could just leave the printer there to build more machines.

Construction

Can you print buildings? - you sure can. There are not many of them, but companies like Apis Cor are producing fascinating results. The company claims it can print a house within 24 hours. Currently, it lends out its machinery to various other firms.

Similarly, countries like China are experimenting with contour crafting. A project by Shanghai based WinSun uses recyclable materials to print houses for $4,800 dollars per unit. In this case, all the parts are printed separately first and later on assembled.

Since bigger construction projects require a massive build area, companies have had to think outside the box. On-site Robotics, for example, have been working with the concept of increasing build volumes by mounting printers on cables and monitoring the process with drones. These concepts are rapidly evolving over time, but they have a long way to go.

Architecture

Architects were one of the early adopters of 3D printing technology. When architects need to present their work as a physical scale model, 3D printing will always be a quick and efficient way to do it. 3D printers help cut down manpower and time when it comes to visualizing designs for clients.

Product Design

Even though prototyping is still the number one use of printers, there are many instances of companies producing end user products with 3D printers.
Furniture
Companies like Steelcase are looking into printing furniture and investing loads of money into new techniques to do it. Along with MIT, they showed off a fantastic new and quick way to UV-cure plastic into desired shapes. They hope to leverage this into a furniture manufacturing technique.

These printers also allow for materials to be reused. Dutch designer Dirk van der Kooij's 3D printed chairs are printed within a few hours. He uses recycled plastic from old refrigerators to create his Endless Chair, a durable and stylish piece of furniture.
Lighting
There are quite a few designer lighting fixtures and lamp shades that use 3D printing out there. As of right now, there are no mass production ones. Dutch company V3RS' U-TL pendant lamps envelope themselves around a florescent tube, providing a unique shape for lighting solutions. They can take the form of flowers or other shapes that add extra flavour to the design of any room.

Additive manufacturing has also enabled the development of optics for bulbs and LEDs. Luxexcel's work in printing optics is already being used for various LED lamps and arrays. It's altering the way we project and produce light.
Accessories / products
3D printers are great for making trinkets and tiny add-ons for our daily lives. Jewelery printing is perhaps the best example of this. This is another niche within 3D printing. Printers like the Solidscape S300 are ideal for creating the wax molds one uses to produce jewellery. Solidscape actually has a whole line of these sorts of machines, indicating that the market is there.

Companies like Design Libero have won awards for their decorative designs like vases with intricate structures with wire thin frames.

Medical

The outlook for medical use of 3D printing is evolving at an extremely rapid pace as specialists are beginning to utilize 3D printing in more advanced ways. Patients around the world are experiencing improved quality of care through 3D printed implants and prosthetics never before seen. Even 3D printing pens are helping out in orthopaedic surgery.
Bio-printing
As of the early two-thousands 3D printing technology has been studied by biotech firms and academia for possible use in tissue engineering applications where organs and body parts are built using inkjet techniques. Layers of living cells are deposited onto a gel medium and slowly built up to form three dimensional structures. We refer to this field of research with the term: bio-printing.

Dental

Dentists are embracing 3D printed goods in a rapid pace. AM has allowed dentists to make bite splints, night guards, retainers, dentures and crowns. In fact, there's a whole market for dental printers like the EnvisionTEC Vida. These printers allow dental professionals to craft appliances in the exact shape that clients need them in for a fraction of the usual cost.

Food

Additive manufacturing invaded the food industry a long time ago. Restaurants like Food Ink and Melisse use this as a unique selling point to attract customers from across the world.

3D Printing is allowing for odd kinds of food to come about. Shape-changing or transparent pasta's could be available at a store near you any time soon. Perhaps, if you have a sweet tooth, you'll find 3D Systems' ChefJet at a bakery near you. Even NASA are getting in on the act with pizza printed in space.

Fashion

3D printing has been on the periphery of the fashion world. Aspiring designers have long been trying to leverage its potential.

Designers are making tools that can shake up the production and retail system. Danit Peleg is a fashion designer with a keen eye for the future. While implementing 3D printing into fashion is nothing new, the consumer model she is using on her website is immensely clever. On the website, users can design their own jacket and have it printed, fitted and delivered in just a few clicks.

Looking around, one can see the growth of 3D printed fashion. Considered the pioneer of 3D printed haute couture, Iris van Herpen, prints dresses in collaboration with i.Materialize.

Adidas prints - end user - mass produced sneakers for quite some time now. They've even made arrangements with companies like Carbon to use their Speedcell solution. Major companies taking an interest in these possibilities is indicative of an inevitable wave of growth.

Types of 3D Printing Technologies and Processes

There are several ways to 3D print. All these technologies are additive, differing mainly in the way layers are build to create an object.

Some methods use melting or softening material to extrude layers. Others cure a photo-reactive resin with a UV laser (or another similar power source) layer by layer.

To be more precise: since 2010, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) group "ASTM F42 - Additive Manufacturing", developed a set of standards that classify the Additive Manufacturing processes into 7 categories according to Standard Terminology for Additive Manufacturing Technologies. These seven processes are:

Below you'll find a short explanation of all of seven processes for 3D printing:

Vat Photopolymerisation

A 3D printer based on the Vat Photopolymerisation method has a container filled with photopolymer resin which is then hardened with a UV light source.

Stereolithography (SLA)

The most commonly used technology in this processes is Stereolithography (SLA). This technology employs a vat of liquid ultraviolet curable photopolymer resin and an ultraviolet laser to build the object's layers one at a time. For each layer, the laser beam traces a cross-section of the part pattern on the surface of the liquid resin. Exposure to the ultraviolet laser light cures and solidifies the pattern traced on the resin and joins it to the layer below.

After the pattern has been traced, the SLA's elevator platform descends by a distance equal to the thickness of a single layer, typically 0.05 mm to 0.15 mm (0.002″ to 0.006″). Then, a resin-filled blade sweeps across the cross section of the part, re-coating it with fresh material. On this new liquid surface, the subsequent layer pattern is traced, joining the previous layer. The complete three dimensional object is formed by this project. Stereolithography requires the use of supporting structures which serve to attach the part to the elevator platform and to hold the object because it floats in the basin filled with liquid resin. These are removed manually after the object is finished.

This technique was invented in 1986 by Charles Hull, who also at the time founded the company, 3D Systems.

Digital Light Processing (DLP)

DLP or Digital Light Processing refers to a method of printing that makes use of light and photosensitive polymers. While it is very similar to stereolithography, the key difference is the light-source. DLP utilises traditional light-sources like arc lamps.

In most forms of DLP, each layer of the desired structure is projected onto a vat of liquid resin that is then solidified layer by layer as the buildplate moves up or down. As the process does each layer successively, it is quicker than most forms of 3D printing.

The Envision Tec Ultra, MiiCraft High Resolution 3D printer, and Lunavast XG2 are examples of DLP printers. Companies that specialise in DLP technology include ONO and Carbon (who invented a subtype of DLP called CLIP).

Continuous Liquid Interface Production (CLIP)

Other technologies using Vat Photopolymerisation are the new ultrafast Continuous Liquid Interface Production or CLIP and marginally used older Film Transfer Imaging and Solid Ground Curing.

Material Jetting

In this process, material is applied in droplets through a small diameter nozzle, similar to the way a common inkjet paper printer works, but it is applied layer-by-layer to a build platform making a 3D object and then hardened by UV light.

Binder Jetting

With binder jetting two materials are used: powder base material and a liquid binder. In the build chamber, powder is spread in equal layers and binder is applied through jet nozzles that "glue" the powder particles in the shape of a programmed 3D object. The finished object is "glued together" by binder remains in the container with the powder base material. After the print is finished, the remaining powder is cleaned off and used for 3D printing the next object. This technology was first developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1993 and in 1995 Z Corporation obtained an exclusive license.

The following video shows a high-end binder jetting based 3D printer, the ExOne M-Flex. This 3D printer uses metal powder and curing after the binding material is applied.

Material Extrusion

The most commonly used technology in this process is Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM).

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)

The FDM technology works using a plastic filament or metal wire which is unwound from a coil and supplying material to an extrusion nozzle which can turn the flow on and off. The nozzle is heated to melt the material and can be moved in both horizontal and vertical directions by a numerically controlled mechanism, directly controlled by a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software package. The object is produced by extruding melted material to form layers as the material hardens immediately after extrusion from the nozzle. This technology is most widely used with two plastic filament material types: ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and PLA (Polylactic acid). Though many other materials are available ranging in properties from wood fill to flexible and even conductive materials.

FDM was invented by Scott Crump in the late 80's. After patenting this technology he started the company Stratasys in 1988. The term Fused Deposition Modeling and its abbreviation to FDM are trademarked by Stratasys Inc.

Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF)

The exactly equivalent term, Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), was coined by the members of the RepRap project to give a phrase that would be legally unconstrained in its use.

There are many different FFF 3D Printer configurations. The most popular arrangements are:

Looking for an overview of all FFF 3D printers? Use our tool and compare 3D Printers.

Contour Crafting

Pioneer of Contour Crafting, Dr. Behrokh Khoshnevis of USC, developed a method which leverages the power of additive manufacturing to build homes. Contour crafting essentially uses a robotic device to automate the construction of large structures such as homes. This device prints walls layer-by-layer by extruding concrete. The walls are smoothed as they are built, thanks to a robotic trowel.

Powder Bed Fusion

The most commonly used technology in this processes is Selective Laser Sintering (SLS).

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)

SLS uses a high power laser to fuse small particles of plastic, ceramic or glass powders into a mass that has the desired three dimensional shape. The laser selectively fuses the powdered material by scanning the cross-sections (or layers) generated by the 3D modeling program on the surface of a powder bed. After each cross-section is scanned, the powder bed is lowered by one layer thickness. Then a new layer of material is applied on top and the process is repeated until the object is completed.

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS)

DMLS is basically the same as SLS, but uses metal instead of plastic, ceramic or glass.

All untouched powder remains as it is and becomes a support structure for the object. Therefore there is no need for any support structure which is an advantage over SLS and SLA. All unused powder can be used for the next print. SLS was developed and patented by Dr. Carl Deckard at the University of Texas in the mid-1980s, under sponsorship of DARPA.

Sheet Lamination

Sheet lamination involves material in sheets which is bound together with external force. Sheets can be metal, paper or a form of polymer. Metal sheets are welded together by ultrasonic welding in layers and then CNC milled into a proper shape. Paper sheets can be used also, but they are glued by adhesive glue and cut in shape by precise blades. A leading company in this field is Mcor Technologies.

Here is a video with a metal sheet 3D printer by Fabrisonic that uses additive manufacturing paired with CNC milling:

... and here is an overview of Mcor 3D printers that use standard A4 paper sheets:

Directed Energy Deposition

This process is mostly used in the high-tech metal industry and in rapid manufacturing applications. The 3D printing apparatus is usually attached to a multi-axis robotic arm and consists of a nozzle that deposits metal powder or wire on a surface and an energy source (laser, electron beam or plasma arc) that melts it, forming a solid object.

Sciaky is a major tech company in this area and here is their video presentation showing electron beam additive manufacturing:

Materials

Six types of materials can be used in additive manufacturing: polymers, metals, concrete, ceramics, paper and certain edibles (e.g. chocolate). Materials are often produced in wire feedstock ( filament), powder form or liquid resin. All seven previously described 3D printing techniques, cover the use of these materials, although polymers are most commonly used and some additive techniques lend themselves towards the use of certain materials over others. Read more about which materials you can use for 3D printing on our materials page.

History of 3D Printing

In the history of manufacturing, subtractive methods have often come first. The province of machining (generating exact shapes with high precision) was generally a subtractive affair, from filing and turning through milling and grinding.

Additive manufacturing's earliest applications have been on the toolroom end of the manufacturing spectrum. For example, rapid prototyping was one of the earliest additive variants and its mission was to reduce the lead time and cost of developing prototypes of new parts and devices, which was earlier only done with subtractive toolroom methods (typically slowly and expensively). However, as the years go by and technology continually advances, additive methods are moving ever further into the production end of manufacturing. Parts that formerly were the sole province of subtractive methods can now in some cases be made more profitably via additive ones.

However, the real integration of the newer additive technologies into commercial production is essentially a matter of complementing subtractive methods rather than displacing them entirely. Predictions for the future of commercial manufacturing, starting from today's already- begun infancy period, are that manufacturing firms will need to be flexible, ever-improving users of all available technologies in order to remain competitive.

Future of 3D Printing

It is predicted by some additive manufacturing advocates that this technological development will change the nature of commerce, because end users will be able to do much of their own manufacturing rather than engaging in trade to buy products from other people and corporations.

3D printers capable of outputting in colour and multiple materials already exist and will continue to improve to a point where functional (electronic) products will be able to be output. With effects on energy use, waste reduction, customization, product availability, medicine, art, construction and sciences, 3D printing will change the manufacturing world as we know it.

3D Print Services

If you are not sure if 3D printing is the right tool for you, and you want to test out the possibilities without purchasing a 3D printer - a 3D print service might be the way to go for you.

There are 3D print services like Shapeways, Ponoko and Sculpteo that can print an object from a digital file that you simply upload to their website. You can even sell your 3D designs on their website and make a little money out of it!

3D Marketplaces

If you don't have the skills to design your own 3D models, you can still print some very nice objects. 3D marketplaces such as Pinshape and CGTrader contain 3D model files you can download for a small charge or for free.

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What is 3D printing? How does a 3D printer work? Learn 3D printing

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3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive process an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is created.

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI     Conclusion-                                                A hidden potential for Bio Printing

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI     Conclusion-                                                A hidden potential for Bio Printing

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A hidden potential for bio printing is definitely in stem cell research.

With the help of this, what we once thought of as miracles can be achieved. Stem cells are essentially undifferentiated cells. This means that they can develop to form muscle cells, nerve cells, skin cells and many other types of cells. This would allow us to build organs from bio compatible materials from scratch in such a way such that it cannot be rejected from the body.

This works by tricking the body into believing that the foreign organ was originally a part of the body and will thus prevent our immune system from rejecting it.

If we are able to bio print stem cells, it would lead to-

1.Prolonged Lifespan

2.Eradication of major diseases.

3.Finding the cure for cancer

This will be extremely useful in the field of organ transplantation.

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI     Where can this be used?

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI     Where can this be used?

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1. During Transplantation of Organs.

One of the most important application of 3D Bio Printing is to transplant organs which have been made form bio compatible materials into diseased and infected bodies.

2. In order to build new skin and muscle tissue for those who have damaged tissue.

For Example- Skin grafting is used on victims of third degree burns. This involves taking skin from areas such as the thigh, and placing this tissue in the severely burnt areas.

3.In research

Often many ethical conflicts occur during research. Questions like 'Is it right to experiment on humans and other living things?' often arise. If we are able to develop this technology we can use it make organs and other tissues without having such concerns.

4. Creation of Stem Cells

If we are able to create stem cells, this will vastly change the world as we know today. As creation of stem cells, will lead to the creation of organs without having to work about the histo compatibility complex accepting the new organ or not, this may even cure cancer.

5.Helping Amputees

This may even help amputees regain their lost limbs. This is however still a long shot.

AA

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI     New Terms Related to Bio Printing-

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI     New Terms Related to Bio Printing-

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1.Bio Printing-

3D printing of bio-compatible materials, cells and supporting components into complex 3D functional living tissues.

2.Regenerative Medicine-

Regenerative medicine is a branch of research in tissue engineering and molecular biology which deals with the process of replacing or regenerating human cells to restore normal function.

3.Stem Cells-

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that continually replace the many specialised cells in our body if they are worn out or damaged.

4.Hemostats

It is a surgical tool used in operations to control bleeding .

5.Nanotechnology-

The study and manipulation of atoms on an atomic and subatomic level.

6.Transplantation-

Transplantation is the transfer (engraftment) of human cells, tissues or organs from a donor to a recipient with the aim of restoring function(s) in the body.

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This survey aims to know about the existing knowledge levels of the general public towards 3D printing. Through this, awareness about the pros and cons of 3D bio printing is hoped to be delivered across.

Target Audience:

General Public: Increase Awareness and talk about concerns about this technology.

Scientists, students, teachers: To invoke discussion and inspire the next generation to continue contributing to this field.

Questionnaire:

Q1. What do you know about 3D printing? Have you ever come across the term bio-printing?

Q2. What have you learnt about 3D printing for after reading this project?

Q3. Would you accept a 3D printed organ? (Yes/No)

Q4. What concerns do you have on adapting to this technology?

Q5.Does is conflict with any of your ethical views?AA

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1

http://www.metmuseum.org/~/media/Files/Blogs/Digital%20Media/3DPrintingBookletforBeginners.pdf

2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3CiJ26YS_U

3.

Articles from 3D Bioprinting and Nanotechnology in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine

Authors: Lijie Grace Zhang, John P Fisher and Kam Leong.

Publisher: Academic Press Inc; 1 edition (6 January 2015)

.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/book/9780128005477

4.

Journals from

http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dietmar_Hutmacher/publication/12255267_Scaffolds_in_tissue_engineering_bone_and_cartilage/links/53feab2a0cf21edafd151cb6.pdf

5.

Articles from the magazine 'Popular Science' and its website,

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-07/how-3-d-printing-body-parts-will-revolutionize-medicine

6.

Journals from http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/v32/n8/full/nbt.2958.html

7.

Journals from

http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/v32/n8/full/nbt.2958.html

8.

Records from

http://www.jstor.org/stable/23598830?Search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=3D&searchText=printing&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3D3D%2Bprinting%26amp%3Bacc%3Don%26amp%3Bwc%3Don%26amp%3Bfc%3Doff%26amp%3Bgroup%3Dnone

AA

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI           Methods used for collecting information.

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI           Methods used for collecting information.

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Many articles and journals were referred to gather information. Genuine sources like researchgate.net and nature.com have been used to gather the facts pertaining to this topic.

Magazines which talk about breakthroughs in science like 'Popular Science' and the website popsci.com also provided information about the scope in this field.

Finally, the book, '3D Bioprinting and Nanotechnology in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine' written by Lijie Grace Zhang, John P Fisher and Kam Leong was referred to for additional information.

Pdf's of the above book are available on http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/book/9780128005477.

AA

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI     What should I gain from this?

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI     What should I gain from this?

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Being a new technology, it is our nature to be apprehensive about its claims. However, in the future, after many trail runs and experiments, we should be informed about the advantages as well as risks of this technology and whether it will be beneficial to us.

3D printing is the future. We should embrace this technology and use it to help the handicapped, disabled and diseased.

AA

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI     What are the major advances of this technology?

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI     What are the major advances of this technology?

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1.Organs

While an entire organ has yet to be successfully printed for practical surgical use, scientists and researchers have successfully printed kidney cells, sheets of cardiac tissue that beat like a real heart and the foundations of a human liver, among many other organ tissues. While printing out an entire human organ for transplant may still be at least a decade away, medical researchers and scientists are well on their way to making this a reality.

2.Stem Cells

Stem cells have amazing regenerative properties already – they can reproduce many different kinds of human tissue.

3.Skin

Imagine the uses that printing skin grafts could do for burn victims, skin cancer patients and other kinds of afflictions and diseases that affect the epidermis. Medical engineers in Germany have been developing skin cell bioprinting since 2010, and researcher James Yoo from Wake Forest Institute is developing skin grafting printing that can be applied directly onto burn victims.

4.Cancer Research

In the same way that tissue and types of organ cells are being printed and studied, disease cells and cancer cells are also being bioprinted, in order to more effectively and systematically study how tumors grow and develop. Such medical engineering would allow for better drug testing, cancer cell analyzing and therapy development. With developments in 3D and bioprinting, it may even be a possibility within our lifetime that a cure for cancer is discovered.

AA

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI     How is this technology improving? Who is responsible for this?

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI     How is this technology improving? Who is responsible for this?

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Research on this topic has been a major priority by many universities and companies. As a result both engineers and scientists together have made dreams become a reality.

Some examples are-

Now, stem cells are being bioprinted in several university research labs, such as the Heriot-Watt University of Edinburgh. Stem cell printing was the precursor to printing other kinds of tissues, and could eventually lead to printing cells directly into parts of the body.

Hod Lipson, a Cornell engineer, prototyped tissue bioprinting for cartilage within the past few years.  Though Lipson has yet to bioprint a meniscus that can withstand the kind of pressure and pounding that a real one can, he and other engineers are well on their way to understanding how to apply these properties. Additionally, the same group from Germany who bioprinted stem cells is also working toward the same results for bioprinting bone and others parts of the skeletal system.

Just six months ago, bioengineering students from the University of British Columbia won a prestigious award for their engineering and 3D printing of a new and extremely effective type of surgical smoke evacuator. Other surgical tools that have been 3D printed include forceps, hemostats, scalpel handles and clamps – and best of all, they come out of the printer sterile and cost a tenth as much as the stainless steel equivalent.

Another German institute has created blood vessels using artificial biological cells, a 3D inkjet printer and a laser to mold them into shape. Likewise, researchers at the University of Rostock in Germany, Harvard Medical Institute and the University of Sydney are developing methods of heart repair, or types of a heart patch, made with 3D printed cells.

AA

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI     Since when has this technology been around?

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI     Since when has this technology been around?

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Although the idea has been thought of long ago, technology only allowed such ideas to come to life in the early 21st centry.

The very first bioprinters weren't expensive or fancy. They resembled cheap desktop printers because, in fact, that's what they were. In 2000, bioengineer Thomas Boland, the self-described "grandfather of bioprinting," eyed an old Lexmark printer in his lab at Clemson University. Scientists had already modified inkjet printers to print fragments of DNA, in order to study gene expression.

Though the major advancements that 3D Bio printing is still in its research phase,Bio printing firm Organovo of San Diego, California, already sells such tissues to researchers aiming to test experimental drugs for toxicity to liver cells.

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI     What is Bio-Printing?

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI     What is Bio-Printing?

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Additive manufacturing, otherwise known as three-dimensional (3D) printing, is driving major innovations in many areas, such as engineering, manufacturing, art, education and medicine. Recent advances have enabled 3D printing of bio-compatible materials, cells and supporting components into complex 3D functional living tissues. 3D bio printing is being applied to regenerative medicine to address the need for tissues and organs suitable for transplantation.

AA

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Abstract

Tissue engineering technology promises to solve the organ transplantation crisis. However, assembly of vascularized 3D soft organs remains a big challenge. Organ printing, which we define as computer-aided, jet-based 3D tissue-engineering of living human organs, offers a possible solution. Organ printing involves three sequential steps: pre-processing or development of 'blueprints' for organs; processing or actual organ printing; and postprocessing or organ conditioning and accelerated organ maturation. A cell printer that can print gels, single cells and cell aggregates has been developed. Layer-by-layer sequentially placed and solidified thin layers of a thermo-reversible gel could serve as 'printing paper'. Combination of an engineering approach with the developmental biology concept of embryonic tissue fluidity enables the creation of a new rapid prototyping 3D organ printing technology, which will dramatically accelerate and optimize tissue and organ assembly.

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Organ printing: computer-aided jet-based 3D tissue engineering

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Tissue engineering technology promises to solve the organ transplantation crisis. However, assembly of vascularized 3D soft organs remains a big challenge. Organ printing, which we define as computer-aided, jet-based 3D tissue-engineering of living human organs, offers a possible solution.

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Three-dimensional printing has been used to make everything from pizza to prostheses, and now researchers are working on using the emerging technology to fabricate hearts, kidneys, and other vital human organs.

That would be very big news, as the number of people who desperately need an organ transplant far outstrips the number of donor organs available. On average, about 21 Americans die every day because a needed organ was unavailable.

What exactly is the promise of 3D printing organs and tissues, or " bioprinting?" How does the technology work, and when might it start saving lives?

For answers to these and other questions, HuffPost Science reached out to Dr. Anthony Atala (right), director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine and a world-renowned expert in the field, to find out.

See below for a lightly edited version of the Q & A.
Can 3D printing end the shortage of organs?
3D printing is not magic. It is simply a way to scale up the current processes we use to engineer organs in the laboratory. Our team has successfully engineered bladders, cartilage, skin, urine tubes and vaginas that have been implanted in patients. Our goal is produce organ structures such as these with 3D printing to make the engineering process more precise and reproducible. The ultimate goal of regenerative medicine -- regardless of the way the organs are engineered -- is to help solve the shortage of donor organs.
How might 3D-printed organs compare to donor organs?
Our goal is to engineer organs using a patient's own cells. With this approach, there would be no issues with rejection, and patients wouldn't have to take the powerful anti-rejection drugs that are now required. This is certainly one advantage of customized organs.
What's the actual process by which organs would be "printed?"
A first step in organ engineering -- whether it involves 3D printing or other methods -- is to get a biopsy of the organ that needs to be replaced. From this biopsy, certain cells with regenerative potential are isolated and multiplied. These cells are then mixed with a liquid material that provides oxygen and other nutrients to keep them alive. This mixture is placed in a printer cartridge. A separate printer cartridge is filled with a biomaterial that will be printed into the organ- or tissue-shaped structure. The structure is designed on a computer using a patient's medical scans.
When happens when you press the "print" button?
When the "print" button is pushed, the printer builds the structure layer by layer and embeds cells into each layer. When cells are provided the right mixture of nutrients and growth factors -- and placed in the right environment -- they know what to do and perform their functions. For some structures, two or more types of cells may be required.

(Story continues below image.)

A 3-D printer at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine at work on a kidney prototype.
What challenges are you facing?
Scientists have successfully engineered three categories of organs: flat structures such as skin; tubular structures such as urine tubes and blood vessels; and hollow structures such as the bladder. The most complex organs are solid structures such as the kidney, liver, and pancreas. Some of the challenges we face with these organs are learning to grow the billions of cells required for these organs, as well as learning how to best supply the new organs with oxygen until they integrate with the body.

We are exploring a variety of options that include printing oxygen-generating materials into the structures; printing micro-channels that can maximize the diffusion of nutrients and oxygen from nearby tissues; and printing blood vessels into the structures.
How many years away are we from printing complex organs like the heart and kidney?
Science is unpredictable, so it is impossible to make predictions. But I think we can safely say that the timeframe required to routinely print and implant complex organs is decades, rather than years.
What are some recent breakthroughs that have brought us closer to making 3D printed organs a reality?
We are continuing to refine our printers to increase printing resolution and learning how to keep the printing process from damaging cells. In addition, we are making advances in identifying which biomaterials work best for specific structures. And, we are great making strides printing with multiple cells types and controlling placement of cells.
What are the next steps?
One relatively new bioprinting project, funded by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, aims to print mini hearts, livers, blood vessels, and lung on a chip system. Called a "Body on a Chip," this project has the potential to test new drugs more accurately and perhaps eliminate the need for testing in animals. The immediate goal is to test effects on the body of biological weapons and to develop antidotes.
To learn more about regenerative medicine and Dr. Atala's vision for 3D printing organs, check out his 2011 TEDTalk below.

ALSO ON HUFFPOST:

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How 3D Printing Could End The Deadly Shortage Of Donor Organs

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Three-dimensional printing has been used to make everything from pizza to prostheses, and now researchers are working on using the emerging technology to fabricate hearts, kidneys, and other vital human organs. That would be very big news, as the number of people who desperately need an organ transplant far outstrips the number of donor organs available.

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI     Subtopic- Bio Printing.

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI     Subtopic- Bio Printing.

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The subtopic which will be dealt here, is the application of 3D Printing in the various fields of science.

Certainly, 3D printing was initially for engineering purposes. However, nowadays, it's involvement in the Science, especially Biology has been tremendous.

Ground Breaking research has helped to apply this technology in areas such as surgery.

There are even projects to build organs using 3D printing! This opens up a whole new domain to 3D printing.

This follows the similar procedure of depositing substances layer by layer however this time organic.

Although this may seem a bit far away, the foundation has been laid for huge developments in Science.AA

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3D Printing News: Latest news, research papers and interviews

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3D Printing News: Latest news, research papers and interviews.

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI       Summary: 3D Printing-                 

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ADITYA ADDEPALLI       Summary: 3D Printing-                 

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WELCOME TO THE AGE OF BIO PRINTING, WHERE THE MACHINES WE'VE BUILT ARE BUILDING BITS AND PIECES OF US.

3D printing involves the manufacture of various objects using the method of successive deposition of material with the help of computer guidance

3D printing is definitely going to reshape the world as we know it. Being relatively new in the market, the scope of 3D printing is massive. It has applications in biotechnology, medical fields, entertainment industries and a number of engineering fields.

This project is going to focus mainly on the applications of 3D printing in various streams.

AA

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3D printing long ago moved from being theoretical to a reality, and in recent years 3D printers have become cheaper to produce; several models are now available for sale, as well as designs for products. Experts predict 3D printers will be common in homes in coming years. Our news and feature articles cover the science and technology behind 3D printers, from how they work to the history, progress and future of the technology and what kinds of things can be made. 3D printing's uses range from practical objects for everyday use to commercial products and parts used in manufacturing, plus the technology holds promise for bioprinting of human parts for medical purposes.

Related Topics: Innovation, Technology, Quantum Computers, Elon Musk

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3D printing long ago moved from being theoretical to a reality, and in recent years 3D printers have become cheaper to produce; several models are now available for sale, as well as designs for products. Experts predict 3D printers will be common in homes in coming years.