Applications
Los usos de estas tecnologías han cambiado fuertemente gracias al desarrollo de nuevas tecnologías y materiales de alto desempeño. En sus orígenes las principales aplicaciones estaban ligadas al prototipado y desarrollo mientras que hoy podemos encontrar piezas funcionales en aerolíneas comerciales y automóviles de competición. En la actualidad las aplicaciones incluyen visualización de diseños, prototipado/CAD, desarrollo de productos, ingeniería, producción, arquitectura, arqueología, educación, salud y entretenimiento.
Prototyping
In a development process, being able to access physical models adds valuable information in the earliest stages of the process. In this way, those involved in the project can quickly validate the functionality from the interaction of the product with other components, its way of use, its interaction with the user, etc. Additionally, assumptions associated with the form of failure or limitations and critical issues to iterate or take care of in the next development cycles can be identified and validated. Having on-site rapid prototyping equipment allows a design studio to iterate and generate 4 or more versions of a device on the same day.
Final products
Additive manufacturing enables low-scale manufacturing at extremely affordable costs with zero initial investment. Depending on the nature of the part in question, we can access a variety of materials, surface finishes and mechanical performances for applications such as: anchoring systems, casings, components for cable routing or tubing, hinges, indicators, security systems, connectors, custom parts, wearables, etc. In particular, this technology is exceptionally useful when supply times are triggered due to logistics complications or the costs associated with maintaining a minimum stock.
Spare parts
For the maintenance of equipment, machines or production lines in cases where the original spare part does not exist (the manufacturer closed, the model was discontinued, etc.) or where the spare part has a high value for low volume purchases, high replacement time and a low failure rate that does not warrant anticipating said occurrence. Given the variety of materials and the advancement of technology, in many cases the printed spare parts exceed the performance of the original parts with times between failures significantly greater than the initial ones.
Jigs and Tooling
In product manufacturing, development or maintenance there are many occasions when the tools available on the market are not compatible with the product you are assembling or repairing. Custom jigs and fixtures help operators ensure accurate, repeatable work, for example, guiding a tool or holding an object in place. In a fast-paced production environment, this efficiency can make a big difference in a company's bottom line.
The application of 3D printing to architecture began to be systematically investigated in the 2000s, with large-format extrusion proposals such as Contour Crafting and binder processes such as D-Shape. During the 2010s, a first generation of specialized printing systems emerged—without other work functions—based on large-format printers on gantries or robotic arms; Manufacturers cited in the literature include COBOD, ICON, Apis Cor, WASP, CyBe Construction, XtreeE, and Constructions-3D. The review published in RILEM Technical Letters indicates that, despite the advances, the technology "has not yet reached its full potential" and faces challenges of quality control, reinforcement, regulatory standardization and process organization, which conditions its competitiveness compared to traditional methods in many scenarios.[27] Starting in the 2020s, a second generation of multifunctional robotic platforms is proposed, capable of printing and performing complementary operations (handling, drilling/cutting, placement or inspection) by changing tools and integration. Sensory/AI, with the aim of improving process efficiency. Among these proposals, Evocons (Spain) develops a multifunctional robotic platform for construction associated with patent EP3733354B1.[28].
Architecture
The application of 3D printing to architecture began to be systematically investigated in the 2000s, with large-format extrusion proposals such as Contour Crafting and binder processes such as D-Shape. During the 2010s, a first generation of specialized printing systems emerged—without other work functions—based on large-format printers on gantries or robotic arms; Manufacturers cited in the literature include COBOD, ICON, Apis Cor, WASP, CyBe Construction, XtreeE, and Constructions-3D. The review published in RILEM Technical Letters indicates that, despite the advances, the technology "has not yet reached its full potential" and faces challenges of quality control, reinforcement, regulatory standardization and process organization, which conditions its competitiveness compared to traditional methods in many scenarios.[27] Starting in the 2020s, a second generation of multifunctional robotic platforms is proposed, capable of printing and performing complementary operations (handling, drilling/cutting, placement or inspection) by changing tools and integration. Sensory/AI, with the aim of improving process efficiency. Pioneer in these proposals, Evocons develops a multifunctional robotic platform for construction associated with patent EP3733354B1.[28].
Education
The applications in education are enormous, helping students visualize and understand abstract concepts. Applications in social sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, art, history and, of course, technology, have the potential to revolutionize pedagogical activity.
For example, teaching researchers from the area of Applied Sciences and Technologies of the Institute of Industry of the National University of General Sarmiento (UNGS) developed two didactic games developed for the teaching and learning of mathematical concepts intended for students with visual disabilities.[29] These are JUDITH, Didactic Game for Haptic Tasks, and JAIME, Game of Printed Areas for Elementary Mathematics. Both devices are already being used by students and teachers at UNGS and other universities in the country. They also recently designed Urbis, a tactile device to represent urban spaces, also intended for students with disabilities.
Feeding
Foodini") and ChefJet are some of the best-known 3D food printers.[30] The technology itself allows you to replace some processes and customize ingredients, both in shape and composition. Some of the chains that are working on it are PepsiCo, Singular Bread and Barilla.[31][32] The creation of food made with masses of microalgae stands out, although the most commonly used ingredients are chocolate and sugar.
Archeology
Additive manufacturing is used in the reconstruction of fossils in paleontology, the replication of antiquities or pieces of special value in archeology, and the reconstruction of bones and body parts in forensic science and pathology. The use of 3D scanning technologies allows the replication of real objects without the use of molding processes&action=edit&redlink=1 "Molding (process) (not yet drafted)"), which in many cases can be more expensive, more difficult and too invasive to be carried out; in particular, with archaeological relics of high cultural value[33] where direct contact with molding substances can damage the surface of the original object.[34].
Art
The use of 3D printing technologies in this field has only been suggested since the 2010s.[35] Artists have used 3D printers in different ways.[36] During the London Design Festival, a montage, developed by Murray Moss and aimed at 3D printing, took place at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The installation was called Industrial Revolution 2.0: How the Material World will Newly Materialize.[37].
Fashion
There is also no shortage of 3D printed clothing in materials such as Filaflex; a technique that has captivated designers such as Karl Lagerfeld, Iris van Herpen, Melinda Looi and Danit Peleg, among others. In fact, there is currently a contest called 3D Fashion Day. Among the most notable printers of this type, a Spanish machine triumphs: the Kniterate.
The sports shoe manufacturer Adidas, on the other hand, was a pioneer in this area, as already in 2015 it developed 3D printed shoes. We are talking about the FutureCraft 4D. We also find lingerie, jewelry, bags and other accessories.
Medicine
3D printing applied in medicine can be, for example, a process that consists of the creation of artificial organs from a digital model with the help of a 3D printer, as opposed to genetic reproduction methodologies.[38][39].
In non-biological applications, the 3D printing process is relatively fast; Three minutes are enough to scan, two hours to process the data, and between four and eight hours to complete the printing of the desired materials.[40].
In recent years, the reduction in production costs of 3D printers and the adaptation of open source software used by printers is accelerating their expansion, which has begun to have an impact on other fields of science, such as biology and medicine, giving way to numerous multidisciplinary teams of scientists and engineers working to resolve the current limitations of this technology. The printing technique in medicine and other areas is determined by the ingredients that can currently be used and the printing speed of the printers.[38].
With this process, the anatomical aim is to ensure that the tissue is capable of containing the necessary properties and shapes. In addition, the ability to create precise and versatile models allows for better learning, as it simulates tissue types very well, making it possible to adapt parts of the body according to the pathology and characteristics of the patient.
Currently, methods have been developed for 3D printing models of body segments using computed tomography images or other types of scanning, allowing replicas of body sections to be made. These generate a simile of said body section, real and tangible, which preserves the proportions, topographic relationships, morphology and color, without danger of decomposition or contamination. This computational resource offers broad applications in medical teaching, maintaining the volumetric conceptualization.[41].
tissue engineering
Dimensional human tissue engineering is used in medical research to accelerate the drug discovery process, allowing treatments to be developed faster and at a lower cost. It consists of a series of images of a 3D multi-layered tissue that mimic the layered composition of, for example, the wall of a blood vessel. The process can be adapted to produce the tissues in a variety of shapes, from microscale to larger structures.[42].
Advances in tissue printing mean that in the near future printed organs can be implanted and compatible in patients who need a transplant. Currently there is a company, called Organovo, that is responsible for the creation of 3D printed fabrics.[42].
The first step in the process is to develop bioprocess protocols for the multicellular building blocks, and bioink, which is used to build tissue blocks. The blocks are dispensed from a bioprinter. A layer of hydrogel is deposited that can be used either as a support, since the tissues are built vertically, to achieve three-dimensionality; or as a filler material to create empty spaces within tissues to mimic native tissue characteristics. Subsequently, the cells are added successively and layer by layer so that they fuse and obtain the desired shape.[43].
In 2011, Antohony Atala printed a kidney for the first time. The kidney was not functional, but was made of human tissue. What bioink seeks is to allow the creation or printing of artificial organs to be completed and be compatible with living organisms.[42].
This process can save considerable time. Several studies show that making a 3D print of an "Organ (biology)" organ such as a kidney can take about two hours, compared to other current 3D printing methods that are 10 times slower. Not to mention that the stress to which the cells are usually subjected when passing through the head ducts will be reduced, thereby increasing their lifespan.[42].
On the other hand, within the field of tissue printing, one of the problems is the vascular system, given that they are dangerous surgical operations and it is necessary to improve the technique. Molecular diffusion can only ensure the exchange of oxygen and nutrients up to a distance of 100 μ, so a possible solution has been the implantation of multiple layers of tissue. In this way, since the thickness of each of these layers is 80μ, oxygen can diffuse. The objective was to implant myocardial tissue, getting the patient's cellular system to vascularize to reimplant the layers. As a result, the effectiveness of this self-assembly method has been proven in practical cases such as the construction of ears. In 2013, the process was published that allows an ear to be replicated with a collagen mold, filled with cells. These artificial ears have already been successfully implanted in animals.[42].
Home use
There have been different efforts, sometimes related to each other, to develop 3D printers suitable for "desktop" use and make this technology available at affordable prices to the general public. A large amount of this work has been directed and focused towards DIY enthusiasts or early adopter communities, both with connections to the academic and hacker worlds.[44].
• - RepRap.
RepRap is a project for the development of a free open source FOSS 3D printer, whose complete specifications are distributed under the GNU General Public License. This printer can print many parts of itself. As of November 2010, RepRap can only print its plastic parts. Since then, development has been underway to give the device the ability to print its own circuit boards as well, as well as its metal parts.
• - Teams.
Printer kits are available to assemble yourself.[45] Prices for these printer kits vary from USD 500 for the Printrbot derived from previous RepRap models,[46] up to USD 1,800. The MakerBot is an open source 3D printer from MakerBot Industries.