Science and technology today magazine | Page 16

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY by Aleksandra Mlak , Poland

What is 3D

printing ?

3D printing is any of various processes in which material is joined or solidified under computer control to create a three-dimensional object , [ 1 ] with material being added together

History of 3D printing

The first spatial printing technique was developed in 1984 by Charles Hull and patented in 1986 . Another printing technique was developed in 1988 by Scott Crump . In 1988 , at the University of Texas , Carl Deckard brought a patent for the successive 3D printing technique in which powder grains are fused together locally by a laser . In 2006 , Adrian Bowyer built the first prototype 3D printer designed for home users . In 2011 , Cornell University began to build a 3D food printer . At first sight , it could seem slightly trivial , but NASA is now researching how astronauts could 3D print food for in space . In 2014 , NASA brought a 3D printer in space to make the first 3D printed object off of the earth . 2018 Now we are able to print almost anything .

3D printing in medical field

3D printing has many functions in a variety of industries , however , in the medical field , this technology can be used to replace human organ transplants , speed up surgical procedures , produce cheaper versions of required surgical tools , and improve the lives of those reliant on prosthetic limbs .

3D bioprinting 3D bioprinting

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