http://blog.zmorph3d.com/7-bizarre-3d-printing-applications/
Starting between 1981 to 1986 from the SLA and Hideo Kodama’s rapid prototyping system, 3D printing has come along ways and spread like wildfire through the internet. Specifically desktop printing. With this glorious tech the possibilities are only limited to a little physics, and imagination. Especially with the rise of mobile scanning devices (Looking at you HoloLens and Project Tango). However if you’ve ever used the internet, you know imagination has lead to some rather outlandish things. Much like these 7 bizarre 3D printing applications that you might not have heard of.
Nerdy Heaven
As science fiction as 3D printing seems, it is only fitting for the geeks to keep the enigma alive. Blowing minds with comic influenced engineering magic by creating what has only been seen on the movie screen or in games. Fictional weapons, armor, items, figures, and a whole corner of Etsy.
However the most daring are creating full suits from their favorite characters. James Burton from XRobots has managed to dedicate the time and brainpower to not only create a standard Iron Man suit, but also the massive Hulk Buster armor from Age Of Ultron. Though many pieces are bought elsewhere, much of the custom designed frame was printed over many, many hours.
A New Take on ‘Make your own music’
Just to prove that printing isn’t off limits to anyone, musicians have taken their artistic design and the budgets of fellow music makers to create affordable tools of the trade. From guitars to clarinets, one can find plans for a “print your own custom instrument” with relative ease. One in particular that is rather eye catching is the 3D Varius electric violin. The company behind the ice queen/space age designed stringed beauty gave us a nice little run down in an email stating-
“The 3D Varius is an electric and 3D printed violin based on a real Stradivarius model. We make it with the objective to create a new violin in perfect symbiosis with the violinist. That's why, it add[s] a lot of features that you can't find on another violin”
Through 3D printing, this violin is lightweight one piece with an intricate design. They currently have a Kickstarter campaign going on, so if this sounds like your type of innovation then you an go grab one.
Previously unreachable or costly medicine
Almost everyone has seen the cute kid and Mr. Downey Jr. compare robotic arms, prosthetic and movie prop respectively. Affordable tailored limb replacement is only the tip of the iceberg for the medical field use of additive manufacturing. Medicine is where bizarre 3D printing applications go beyond bizarre. From the readily available prosthetics and models of developing babies for blind parents to the experimental bone, organ, and synthetic skin printing. Medical use could very arguably be the most widely and impactful use. Mostly from high-end modified printers comes these now possible achievements, so don’t expect materializing your own prescriptions or tissue. Nevertheless, medicine in general is becoming more affordable and more effective towards each individual patient.
It's not quite dehydrated pizza from Back to the Future
We may not be tossing palm sized dehydrated pizza's in a hydrator for pan sized fresh meals like in Micheal Fox's "Back To The Future", future food is here. For most of which can only be assumed easier manufacturing or publicity, 3D printed food isn’t conceptual and theoretical, but it’s actually here, and purchasable. In the Netherlands is a 3D printing restaurant, the Albert Hijin supermarket in Eindhoven, currently on it’s way through a global tour.
While it more or less makes sense to print chocolates, pizza material and things of the like, there is another food project that takes things to the next level. Chloe’ Rutzerveld’s ‘Edible Growth’ is a bizarre 3D printing application, a biscuit substance that actually gets tastier the longer you wait to eat it. Within a few days, mushrooms have grown through the hole covered biscuit structure adding flavor, design, and other nutrients. Rutzerveld states,
“I want to show that high-tech food or lab-produced food does not have to be unhealthy, unnatural, and not tasteful”.
Printing these healthy treats makes sense in the food printing community, as a way to give structure housing for the mushroom spores that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.
Print it, Wear it
While printed clothing is still working out some bugs as it tries desperately to go beyond the runway, there are plenty of other designs you can wear around town on your evening stroll. An endless number of rings, bracelets and other jewelry that can be made unique to you, as well as shoes.
You may have heard about tennis shoe companies printing the tread for many of their new models, but there are still more options to explore. One example being hydraulic heels from Silvia Fado. Fado’s use for 3D printing is truly a practical one, while Silvia may create high end designer styles, mass production isn’t the best side dish for such quality design. Rather than having an engineer design a new assembly line and machinery for each new set of heels, with a ZMoprh Multitool 3D printer every set can come out the way it was meant to. Goes to show that with the right add-ons, a printer becomes as diverse as the possibilities it produces.
No Home No Problem
From bones and shoes to food and giant robot costumes, what can’t be easily made from one room? Well, said room would be on the list if it wasn’t for a behemoth sized printer.
Imagine a wire frame that stretches nearly four stories high, printing livable, sturdy earth homes for those in need all over the world. That is exactly what you have with Big Delta’s WASP printer. From water, dirt, clay, and plant fibers many in the pit of poverty are finding green homes to take shelter inside of, one layer at a time.
On the other side of the spectrum, Rudenko’s 3D Concrete House Printer is creating longer lasting structures from Minnesota U.S. So far Andrey Rudenko has created an appealing concrete castle and a hotel suite in the Philippines.
Some Old Ways Will Only Be Old Ways
It is evident that times are constantly changing faster with every passing chapter. Trends come and go, and repeat from time to time. Some daily activities though, we may not ever look back at doing the same again. Flow is a beehive that with a lot of ingenuity and the product producing qualities of printing, is changing the majority of beekeeping structure entirely. Rather than practically destroying the hive, this new design releases the sweet nectar without even the need of removing the lid. Beekeeping isn't the only thing with old concepts being replaced for good, paired with three dimensional scanners officers and forensics are beginning to create to-scale near perfect replicas of crime scenes with another bizarre 3D printing application. While small models of scenes are nothing new, the accuracy and ease of the printing method are. Human error is now much less of a concern for a number hobbies and professionals alike across the world.
Look Ahead, Tomorrow Is Today
Technology is ever taking the form of our outlandish dreams, one step leading to the dozens in front of it. No longer is it what’s not possible, but simply when is it possible. Additionally, not only is achievement scored by engineers and scientist for all of humanity, the tools and utilities are advanced to be easier to use and more affordable for all of everyone to become part of the innovative frontier. What bizarre 3D printing application have you thought up? Did you go beyond just printing with the ZMorph Multitool Printer? Leave a reply below and share your story of thinking outside the box.