Cover story
Brave new manufacturing world
Natalie Mainville
3D printing delivers new processes for creators and inventors
Imagine a world where a replacement part for an in-home
gadget could be created by simply turning on your computer,
downloading an online file, and 3D-printing the part. Would
this be disruptive to manufacturing industries, or would it lead
to innovations benefiting the greater good? Or both?
We aren’t far from this reality. 3D printing processes and
materials are being tested and researched by top technology
companies and research labs around the world. However,
many 3D technologies are still in their infancy, and some
materials can only be produced in a commercial setting and
not for personal use in homes.
In a world where items were once manufactured in a linear
process, 3D printing has allowed creators, inventors, and
manufacturers to veer off a designated path to consider
alternative production methods that are more efficient, faster
and economical for end-use applications.
Over the last five years, 3D printing has become a true buzz-
word in many industries as the resources are becoming more
accessible and available. As these technologies are stream-
lined throughout different businesses, an additional bonus is
20 | October 2018 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE
that many new jobs are being created, combining industries
that previously might not have collaborated together. Fashion
is blending with science, as wearable fabrics are being pro-
grammed to light up the runway from human movements. The
medical field is collaborating with technologists who are able
to print anatomically accurate 3D models of human organs to
aid with surgery preparation.
These new facets of businesses are able to use 3D printing
now in more ways than ever, which has also drastically
changed additive manufacturing as a whole. As more people
push the capabilities of 3D printing, amazing discoveries are
surfacing in media outlets regarding 3D-printed electronics
and textiles.
3D-printed electronics
When people hear that manufacturers are producing 3D-print-
ed electronics, many have the misunderstanding that the
entire unit or gadget is 3D-printed, which usually isn’t the
case. Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are made up of compon-
ents that are 3D-printed in materials which contain low melting
point alloys. These alloys have conductive properties as they
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