S PRING 2015
P AGE 11
A Journey Into the World of 3-D Printing
From digital to physical
Nivetha Aravindan
Contributor
Technology plays a fundamental role in
today’s advanced society. Our world is
revolutionized as new technological
devices are fabricated by brilliant scientists and engineers. Many have heard
about the 3-D printers that have been
developed, evolving the concept
of traditional 2-D printing. The 3-D
printer is a phenomenal and evolving
technological device that has the capability to radically transform people’s lives,
but is this invention worth the inconveniences it carries?
Before answering this question: it is
important to understand how a 3-D
printer works. 3-D printed objects actually start out as virtual blueprints that can
be created using a computer aided design
file. People can scan an object that already exists or design their very own
innovative gadget, and make their imagination come to life. 3-D modeling software then divides the virtual object into
several horizontal layers, and this image
is uploaded into a 3-D printer. The
printer combines the slices together, and
produces the requested 3-D solid item.
Many different industries in society
require today’s most advanced technological devices in order to assist people in
the most efficient way, and 3-D printers
could be the ideal tool for such jobs.
These machines accept the input of a
wide range of materials, ranging from
certain types of plastic and glass to silver
and steel. The variety of objects that can
be created is innumerable! These will
enable medical, automotive, aerospace,
food, and manufacturing industries to
advance, prosper, and accomplish several
goals. There have already been advances
in the medical field.
material and wasting a lot of materials in
the process of sculpting.
Despite their remarkable features, almost
all technological devices come with drawbacks. During an interview in 2014 with
CNN, the brilliant inventor of the 3-D
printer, Chuck Hull, explained that the
limits to 3-D printing include its speed,
the printing material’s properties, and the
amount of items. However, he assured his
interviewers that these limits will probably be overcome within the next couple
According to CNN, a biotech firm
of years. Other disadvantages include the
known as Organovo is ready to begin
chance of more copyrighted items being
selling 3D printed liver tissue, and Miprinted and the objects that are able to be
chael Renard, the executive vice presiprinted being limited size-wise. The
dent at Organovo said that 3-D printed incorporation of 3-D printers into manutissues could be used to replace small
facturing companies could also decrease
organs or parts in the body within the
the number of manufacturing jobs availanext few years. 3-D printers also give
ble to people, which could hurt the econhope to the food industry, as well as
omies of countries that lead in the propeople in charge of cooking at home.
duction of goods. It’s hard to believe, but
The Foodini is a 3-D food printer that
3-D printing could even be quite dangercan prepare foods, such as burgers, pizza, ous in the future, considering a 3-D printchocolate, pasta, and many more. All
ed gun was created through the use of
one needs to do is load the ingredients
these devices.
into food capsules, insert the capsules
into the printer, and wait for a delicious 3-D printers are exceptional devices that
dish to be created. Some advantages for could drastically improve the lives of
many people. However, it is essential for
manufacturing companies include the
people to conduct keen research before
ability to customize their products and
quickly manufacture objects for a cheap investing in such an item. It is also vital
for everybody to use the device properly
price. This form of manufacturing also
produces little to no waste, as this print- for the benefit of all. With their amazing
er only uses the materials that are needed powers, 3-D printers will soon be utilized
to solve every day challenges, as well as
to construct the product, instead of
starting out with a big piece of a certain complicated problems in the world.
“T HE 3-D
PRINTER IS A
PHENOMENAL
AND EVOLVING
TECHNOLOGICAL
DEVICE THAT
HAS THE
CAPABILITY TO
RADICALLY
TRANSFORM
PEOPLE ’ S LIVES .”
— N IVETHA
A RAVINDAN
Curiosity II- Printing Robot Continuous Tracks via
Wikimedia under Creative Commons License
Peanut Allergies on the Rise?
Defending your child against peanut allergies is serious business
Morgan MacNeil-Berry
Contributor
If you ask your parents how many
people they knew with peanut allergies
when they were kids, they probably
wouldn’t remember anyone. According to Foodallergy.org, this is because
peanut allergies among children have
increased by 50 percent since 1997.
About 200 children die each year from
peanut induced anaphylaxis.
Though more people are aware of
children with peanut allergies, many
people don’t know the precautions
that have to be taken to prevent a child
from going into anaphylaxis. According to Lianne, a mother whose son has
peanut allergies, “(a) play date typically means we have our child’s friends
over our house. Birthday parties and
nights with grandparents require logistical preparation and planning. An
itinerary is drawn up in advance, safe
food is purchased that resembles the
ones we predict will be served, and
multiple EpiPens are checked and
double-checked.” These precautions
need to be taken in order for their
child to be able to have a safe but fun
time wherever they are going.
Parents of children with peanut allergies are like detectives. They have to
be aware of every piece of food around
their child, and they are always worried of possible contamination from
another child who had peanut butter
that day. “Would you ‘freak out’ at the
school playground if you see that bag
of poison lurking nearby your child or
would you perhaps try to get that
poison banned from your child’s
school where he spends most of his
time,” asks Lianne. The parents of
children with allergies need to make
sure their kids don’t put their fingers in
their mouth after touching anything.
They need to make sure that the restaurant they are going to has menu
items that are not near peanuts or
cooked with peanuts.
Although people know about peanut
allergies, it is evident they don’t understand how important it is for kids
with allergies to be nowhere near
peanuts. Too many children die every
year from anaphylaxis because one
person was not careful enough to make
sure they did not touch a child after
having peanuts, or even a food item
containing peanuts.
Photo by TNS (formerly MCT) used with
permission.