These days, you won’t surprise many people with the very existence of 3D printers. However, people still don’t expect to learn about the many things 3D printers can produce. Human imagination is truly a wonderful gift from nature.
People come up with more and more ways to utilize modern technology to make all kinds of products, some of which are aimed at entertainment, health and safety, or engineering. Honestly, the potential here is practically limitless. It all depends on one’s skills and will to experiment. So let’s see some of the most unusual (so far) things you can make with a 3D printer.
How does a 3D printer operate?
To understand the next section of the article better, it will be useful to learn more about 3D printer operation processes. So, such technology allows us to create various products from different materials, from plastic to metal and paper. By the way, in this case, plastic doesn’t have oil in it. Most machines can use other forms of plastic, like the one made of sugar cane, for example.
So, to create a model, a printer needs to follow the computer-programmed design, making one layer at a time, for example via a Bowden tube, laser, or other methods. Once the first layer is ready, a printer goes on for the second one, and so on. Thus, model creation can be a somewhat time-consuming process. The final results depend on the quality of the design and the 3D printer.
Musical instruments
So, not long ago, people started to experiment with 3D printers for creating musical instruments. So far, the results were not bad. Currently, people know how to make the most popular musical instruments like a violin, drumset, electric guitar, and even keyboard using 3D printers. Of course, many of those instruments require some additional touches after the 3D printer finishes its work. Usually, things like strings, tuning pegs, and other smaller and more delicate details are done by hand. Yet, it’s already a start and not a bad one either.
Most importantly, such instruments can be used for their purpose. Thus, musicians can play them. Surely, for now, the market can provide better-sounding traditional alternatives. However, how soon we may see plastic 3D printer musical instruments on the market is only a matter of time. The technology is already here for it.
Organs
Indeed, we are living in an incredible time. Today, anyone with a 3D printer and any idea of how to use it can create something as significant and valuable as human organs. In fact, we have already learned to make a variety of important and working models to replace failing organs. For example, a 3D printer was used to create such transplants as bladders, hearts, kidneys, ears, and ovaries, to name just a few.
It’s also important to note that these models are not just plastic pieces to imitate real human organs. They are, indeed, transplants used in operations to replace real organs. Furthermore, the created transplants can be customized to each patient’s body and needs, including even using their own cells to increase the chances of successful transplantation. This technology can truly change the future of transplantation medicine, which will require fewer human donors. Thus, more people will have higher chances of receiving transplants without waiting for them for years.
In addition, 3D printers are often used to create all kinds of limb prosthetics. This technology allows the creation of much cheaper prosthetics than the ones on the market already. In addition, such prosthetics can be customized and have higher quality than most budget options currently available on the market.
Synthetic food
Learning about the machines creating synthetic food for us already sounds like some plot for a futuristic novel. Yet, it is the reality of today’s world. There have been multiple attempts to create synthetic food with 3D printers already, and it seems like we have finally had a breakthrough recently. NASA started with its research back in 2013. So, today it is possible that the idea of creating food via a 3D printer has been more than successful. It seems like future astronauts will be consuming only this type of food on their missions.
Of course, it is hard to judge the quality and taste of such food. However, we already know for sure that 3D printers can make quite a versatile menu, including veggie patties, chocolate, and even cheesy pizzas. The idea behind 3D printer usage is simple. With this technology, astronauts will be able to make food for themselves while in space. So they will have a greater variety of options and more freedom in choosing their own menu.
Houses
Last but not least, recently, the conversation about the abilities of 3D printers has been amplified (quite literally) by the idea of making houses. Indeed, the common notion now is that larger 3D printers can solve any housing future crises. Of course, this technology is still being researched, and to know more about it, you can order a paper from a reliable academic helper. Students seeking academic support may be left asking, “where i can buy dissertation?”. Getting useful info, you’ll find out that large 3D printers can build houses within 24 hours. These buildings will be of average size for a small family, equipped for a comfortable living, have, and consist only of ecological materials.
