Crescent, a 25-year-old Great Indian Hornbill at ZooTampa in Lowry Park, Florida, was enjoying her life to the fullest with the love and care of the zoo authorities. Little did she know she would be affected by a hazardous form of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma. Usually, the disease can be seen near the front casque in hornbills. However, Crescent’s carcinoma was located at the back, which nearly ruled out all possibilities of conventional treatments, as it would have exposed her sinuses.
To overcome the situation, a team from the University of South Florida’s Radiology Department printed a new casque using a 3D printer. To create the casque, they utilised BioMed White Resin, a photocurable material suitable for printing biocompatible parts for prosthetic devices. Due to the rarity of the surgery, which had only been performed once by a veterinary surgeon in Singapore, the Radiology team also donated a replica of Crescent’s head along with the casque. This allowed the veterinary surgeons to practice the procedure before performing it on the bird. In January 2022, the surgical team successfully extracted the tumour and placed the 3D-printed part of the casque onto Crescent. The bird is now back in her home, looking as pretty as ever.
This is just one example of how 3D printing has started changing the manufacturing industry. 3D printing originated as additive manufacturing in the 1980s, with Charles Hull inventing stereolithography in 1984. 3D printing became widespread in the early 2000s for quick prototyping and tooling. The utilisation of metals and composites for functional parts, as well as the accessibility of desktop 3D printers, were crucial breakthroughs in the 2010s. Major players like HP and Carbon promoted the boundaries of efficiency, reliability, and scalability. Today, 3D printing is evolving and developing implements in healthcare, aerospace, automotive, and other industries, allowing personalisation, on-demand manufacture, and the ability to change manufacturing processes.
One of the most critical parts of the manufacturing industry is prototyping, where 3D printing has had a massive impact. Previously, prototyping was a costly and lengthy process which often required specialised tools or the construction of moulds. However, with the help of 3D printing, prototyping has become more cost and time efficient. Now it is possible to create a physical prototype directly from digital models, enabling designers and engineers to evaluate and refine their designs quickly. The technology also helps in rapid design transformation by facilitating designers with faster adjustments and improvements. Moreover, it empowers the production of highly complex internal structures and complicated geometries to provide greater design freedom.
Besides its impact on prototyping, 3D printing is also changing conventional manufacturing procedures. Its ability to create complicated objects has uncovered methods for customisation. Traditional manufacturing was mostly based on mass production, which resulted in standardised items. Now manufacturers can customise products to specific needs via 3D printing, providing consumers with unique and personalised experiences. With the help of multi-material printing, manufacturers can now create functional and composite objects. Moreover, 3D printing minimises material waste since it uses an additive method, only using the material required to complete the printed object. The trait of sustainability fits with increasing environmental concerns, making 3D printing an appealing option for environmentally conscious business entities.
The healthcare industry may experience its biggest revolution with the emergence of bio-printing technology, which involves printing tissues and organs. A team led by Jennifer Lewis at the Wyss Institute of Harvard has successfully developed a thick vascularised tissue structure. This structure comprises of human stem cells, a collective matrix, and blood vessel endothelial cells; all created using a customisable 3D bioprinting method. This groundbreaking approach has the potential to be further developed for the creation of vascularised 3D tissues, benefiting fields such as regenerative medicine, drug testing and even patient-specific implants.
The evolution of 3D printing is transforming marketing strategies and creating new business models. Manufacturers can utilise physical models created through 3D printing to showcase product features and designs, enhancing marketing campaigns effectively. Involving customers in the design process through online customisation and co-creation fosters loyalty and advocacy. The technology enables on-demand manufacturing, reducing the need for large inventories and disrupting traditional supply chains. It eliminates expensive tooling costs, making it more accessible for small businesses and promoting innovation and entrepreneurship.
Despite significant progress in 3D printing technology, it still has numerous challenges and limitations. Considering that not all materials are compatible with 3D printing technologies, manufacturers who want to work with the technology may face obstacles. With an extensive selection of materials such as plastics, metals, and ceramics, the options still need to be improved compared to conventional manufacturing alternatives. 3D-printed objects may face further challenges in industries where the products are subject to quality checks. Compliance with safety, quality, and performance regulations may involve lengthy and expensive testing and certification processes.
From concept to reality, 3D printing has become known as a game-changing technology having the potential to transform manufacturing and prototyping. Its ability to quickly and cost-effectively interpret ideas into physical goods has opened up new possibilities for creativity across industries. We should expect 3D printing to open up many possibilities as technology advances and overcomes hurdles, altering how we design, manufacture, and interact with everything around us. Embracing 3D printing’s potential will lead the way for a future where imagination knows no bounds and conceptions become a reality with a single print.
Author- Md Tazrian Sarker
