3D Printing Wasn't Always This Easy
in: Prosperity , Health and Well Being
Nearly anyone can get access to a 3D printer, opening up a world of invention and innovation. However, prior to the invention of 3D printing, building complex or irregular machinery was extremely time consuming and required carefully honed skills.
In order to 3D print something, there needs to be a design for the 3D printer to follow. In the ‘70s, the U.S. National Science Foundation funded the creation of 3D modeling computer programs, which would eventually develop into Computer Aided Design, which printing technologies still use today.
The Strategic Manufacturing Initiative (STRATMAN) was founded by the U.S. National Science Foundation in the ‘80s, working to continue supporting the fledgling field of 3D printing. The earliest technology to come out of this used liquid polymers that hardened when exposed to light, turning into solid plastic.
But this wasn’t the end of the story. How could one print with metals or other polymers besides plastic? With funding from a STRATMAN grant, this was solved with Selective Laser Sintering, in which lasers melt layers of powder (metal or polymers) to create the desired shape. Thanks to the U.S. National Science Foundation, there are a variety of methods for 3D printing that can use diverse materials and be used for nearly any design.
- States: TX , NC , MA , PA
- Organizations: University of Texas , Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Penn State University
- Topics: Technology
- Federal Grants: NSF 9215728 , NSF 1409310 , NSF 8914212
- Links and further reading: [ link1 | link2 | link3 | link4 ]