3D printing history
3D printing has become more and more popular nowadays. Over the last few years, the prices of the printers and printing materials have gone significantly down, making the technology available for a casual user. Yet, it may surprise you that 3D printing technology is not a novelty, it is almost 40 years old!
Charles Hull
https://3dprinterchat.com/3d-printing-history/
The history of 3D printing begins in the 80s' with Charles Hull and the idea of slicing the model and printing only one layer at a time. He invented stereolithography, a process in which a UV laser beam hits a liquid acrylic material called photopolymer, hardening the surface immediately. The liquid then rises, covering the previous layer and the laser hardens another slice and so on. In time the whole model is done.
Chuck Hull explains Stereolithography
This method worked quite well for delivering a quick prototype that would otherwise consume lots of effort, machines and time. Nevertheless, it wasn't perfect. There were lots of imperfections on the surface and the production was quite expensive. Stereolithography was later upgraded and perfected and it is still used today. The prints were later done with powder instead of liquid, which made it more manageable, the precision was improved and the process was more stable. However, those printers never made it to a casual user.
In 1999 the history of 3D printing had an unexpected turn as the first printed organ was successfully implanted to a human. It was a bladder that was printed from a synthetic material later covered with patient cells. In the next 10 years, 3D printing found its use in various medical fields. It mostly focused on prosthetics, carefully built for the individual needs, although scientists were able to print a miniature kidney and bioprint blood vessels.
A 3D printed bladder mold coated with human bladder cells resting in a mixture of nutrients and growth factors.
https://www.illinoisscience.org/2019/10/3d-printing-artificial-organs-medical-technology-biotech/
Today 3D printing has reached a stage in which it is available to the most. The technology still bases on the same slicing principle, but rather than lighting the material with laser we heat it and extrude the plastic through a tiny hole that paints the model's layers. In most printers, both the extruder and the table moves accordingly, creating a model.
Crazy 3D Prints! (TimeLapse episode 14)
This is an example of how such a process looks like.
The material that is used in modern printers is called a filament. There are various kinds, most common PLA and ABS are standard durable plastic materials, but you can also find rubber or TPU that is flexible like a rubber duck. There are also filaments made partially with wood, creating natural-looking sculptures that are easy to polish or to sculpt even further. There were even experiments with chocolate printing, however, you have to use the worst kind of chocolate to form it properly.
TPU
https://www.sculpteo.com/en/3d-learning-hub/3d-printing-materials-guide/what-is-tpu/
During this 3D printing revolution, people formed a large community of creators giving away or selling their models that one can print at home. This could potentially revolutionise the market, cutting the prices of production and shipment.
For the very casual and artistic use, there is also a hand-held device called 3Doodler that is essentially a pen that can heat and extrude the material just like printers do. I would say it is like sketching in the world of 3d printing.
3Doodler
https://gfycat.com/pl/deadlymeatyfugu
The future of 3D printing seems promising. NASA is hugely interested in this technology, researching food printing and zero-gravity printing. Hopefully, we will see prototypes soon.
Questions:
Have you realised that you are probably younger than 3D printing technology?
Did you know how the 3D printing process works?
Would you try out 3Doodler? Or maybe you have some experience with 3D printing?
Bibliography
https://www.illinoisscience.org/2019/10/3d-printing-artificial-organs-medical-technology-biotech/
https://3dprinterchat.com/3d-printing-history/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4yHCqW4nVc&ab_channel=BenHommerding
https://www.sculpteo.com/en/3d-learning-hub/3d-printing-materials-guide/what-is-tpu/
Comments
No, I had no idea! As I’m more into 2D techniques myself I have never been too interested in this genre, but I must admit I have found your article very interesting, and for that – thanks, Ada! The video named “Crazy 3D prints” was so cool I actually want to make an animation out of 3D prints :D
Did you know how the 3D printing process works?
Yes, I did. I’ve seen a few videos about this process, but also my friend has a small 3D printer and has shown me how it works in real life. It’s actually quite boring if you are looking at it in a real time, not in an accelerated mode :D
Would you try out 3Doodler? Or maybe you have some experience with 3D printing?
A few years ago, I was obsessed ith having a 3Doodler, but it was too expensive at that time and I never bought it. Now … I don’t think I will ever buy it as it’s something that is fun to do few times but in general seems, like another piece of junk that you buy for fun and after a while never use it again.
Thanks to Piotrek Malanowski and my friend Michał I now have a 3D printed maquette of trees, that I wanted to use in my diploma. Piotrek created 3D models, based on my sketches, and Michał printed them. I have around 25 trees glued to the wooden board with clay that probably will serve me in creating stills for my master’s degree. As the trees have weird, triangle-like shapes it would be hard to create weir perspectives of them without any reference.
2. Yes, I'm a bit interested in 3D printing, so I know how it works.
3. I have never seen a 3Doodler live but I have little experience printing with a regular 3D printer.
Yes, I did. However, I believe that 3D printing technology should not be treated as something new. It was a revolution 10 years ago, at this point, printing is already widely used by major corporations. I know that the automotive industry eagerly uses 3D printers. Manufacturing parts with 3D printers is normal these days.
2.Did you know how the 3D printing process works?
Yes, I know, it depends on the technology we use. Most often, 3D printing consists in applying subsequent layers - foil, various enamels, metal powders to the created part, and then welding these layers. And this is how some are built layer by layer. Of course, such a manufacturing process has some limitations - parts created with 3D printers are small, large parts cannot be printed.
3.Would you try out 3Doodler? Or maybe you have some experience with 3D printing?
I have never tried 3Doodler and I don't think I will, I don't see what I could create with 3Doodler. Yes, I had the opportunity to work with a 3D printer, at the Warsaw University of Technology I was creating a project - a shield that was printed using a printer. It was an interesting thing, I can prepare a file for printing, but I have never used it outside of educational purposes.
I have never used 3Doodler either however I'd still like to try. I know the outcome won't be great but it could be fun nevertheless. Maybe I'll convince mr. Kalinowski to get one for 3D lab and we could try it? Let's hope so!
I had no idea you worked with Piotrek! I have to see it! Seems like the best way to utilize 3D printing.
Also, you are absolutely right, there are amazing technologies around but no way to introduce them to the market. The solutions are either too expensive, timeconsuming or simply not yet practical. Take for example the VR headsets. The idea is as old as the first computer games, however, only now they are somewhat popular.
Considering your answer on 3rd question, obviously, 3Doodler is not for professional use. It is more of a toy that hopefully would interest children (or even adults) to try some creative sculpting. I'd like to try it, however, I know that the outcome won't be much.
Yes, I realized I was younger than 3D printing technology
Did you know how the 3D printing process works?
Yes, I did
Would you try out 3Doodler? Or maybe you have some experience with 3D printing?
I didn't try out 3Doodler. I have some experience with 3d printing. When I was 14, I was on 3d printing course
I had some general ideas about how it works but after reading this article I know much more. I have always found it to be a fascinating and very useful tool that in the future may become an essential accessory for every home.
Unfortunately, I have no experience in using 3D printers or even the 3Doodler and I would definitely like to try it someday
If you asked me about that 5 minutes ago, I would say that 3D printing is around 15 years old. I might have guessed however that it takes a lot of prior research to delivered such products to the public. 3D printing became a popular thing around 10 years ago so I wouldn't guess it might be older than I am.
Did you know how the 3D printing process works?
I had some idea. I saw it in action and I read some articles about that so I knew the basics but I still haven't printed anything myself. I have however created some models which later were printed but I didn't print them myself.
Would you try out 3Doodler? Or maybe you have some experience with 3D printing?
3Doodler sounds like a fun thing which in proper arms might become really practical. I guess that such pen might work wonders in architectural offices when some wants to add something fast to the already-built miniature project. As the name suggests it is not a very reliable or professional thing but I am sure that with some effort a proper 3D-Handy-Printer-Pro could be developed and provided to the artists.
I used to own 3D printer before it broke down. I've learned much about process and technology during the time I was using it. I've seen adaptation of this process using concrete to construct actual buildings. I think adapting 3D printing in more and more uses is considerable future.
I am thinking about buying 3D doodler for myself to make some cosplay props or some useful objects like parts for some RaspberryPi creations. Maybe I'll buy new 3D printer when I'll be less occupied by classes and work, but now it's not the time for this, maybe I'll construct my own printer :)
Honestly I had no idea and I thought that 3d printing is a 15-20 year old technology.
2.Did you know how the 3D printing process works?
I know basics about 3d printing and how the process works in general, but I feel like there is a lot about 3d printing that I don't know.
3.Would you try out 3Doodler? Or maybe you have some experience with 3D printing?
I've worked for a few months for a company that produces simulators for training e.g. train drivers and one of my tasks were to make 3d models of things like levers or consoles and 3d print them, but I used SolidWorks for modeling and there was an option to export the model to the format that the 3d printer was able to recognize. Unfortunately, I have no experience with 3Doodler.
I like your usage proposal of 3Doodler. I guess that if architects still use real live models it would be nice to change something or add details with this pen. I guess it would be also usable as a first sketch. When the customer walks in without much 3D perception skills, he would understand this kind of dimensional doodle easier than a flat sketch.
Oh, 3Doodler with RaspberryPi is also an interesting idea. I have played with Arduino a little and it would be useful to just 3D draw some simple parts. I want this pen even more!
Good luck with your own design! It would be an ambitious project. If you are interested in a subject one of our teachers at school has built his own printer, if I'm not mistaken it was his diploma project.