3D Printing
Did you know that 3D printing had already begun in the late 1980s? Back when people were still smoking on airplanes and the wreck of the Titanic had been found…it was a busy time. This means that we’re beginning to see the result of nearly 40 years of 3D printing research and progression, but what have we achieved so far?
Well, 3D printers aren’t just being used to formulate plastic and random anymore. Scientists are looking into how 3D printers can be used in the medical world to produce replacement organs, limbs or just about anything that could improve a patient’s quality of life.
Take 4-month-old Bentley Yoder for example, who needed to have part of his brain pushed back into his cranium because his skull hadn’t fully formed - it had begun to grow outside of the bone creating a huge growth on top of his head. This rare condition is called encephalocele, and affects around 1 in 10,000 babies each year - the cause is still unknown.
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According to Motherboard, Bentley didn’t have much of a chance at this stage but surgeon Dr. John Meara thought he would try using 3D technology as a solution. The 3D printers use MRI or CT scans to reconstruct a patient’s face, limb or other body part. In this instance, Dr Meara created a model of Bentley’s head to work out how he was going to tackle the problem. The 3D model also helps patients and parents see what the surgical procedure is going to look like, and gives them a clearer picture of what is actually possible.
As well as health miracles like the Bentley success story, 3D technology is being researched as an option for restorative purposes for historical buildings too. All over the world there are famous landmarks that are growing older and need constant repairs which are both costly and require extremely skilled labourers and engineers that understand archaic architecture design, many of whom don’t exist anymore. However, with the help of 3D technology, we may be able to hold onto some original features for longer and create identical replacements.
With this in mind, printer ink supplier TonerGiant have put together an informative infographic which allows you to see how long it would take for an individual 3D printer to rebuild some of the world’s most famous landmarks - we’ve got some way to go yet!
SOURCE Toner Giant
By  Debbie Fletcher | Embed |
Author Bio - Debbie Fletcher is an enthusiastic, experienced writer who has written for a range of different magazines and news publications over the years. Graduating from City University London specialising in English Literature, Debbie's passion for writing has since grown. She loves anything and everything technology, and exploring different cultures across the world. She's currently looking towards starting her Masters in Comparative Literature in the next few years. | |
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