3D Printer Makes Anything. - 10/09/12 12:49 AM
Do you remember the Sci-Fi film 2001, or any similar film where the hungry space traveller goes up to a unit,
punches a few buttons and out pops the meal he has just punched in?
Well they have just produced a 2nd generation unit thats about as big as your desktop computer, and its called a 'Replicator'
Its a 3D printer that when fed with a spool wound with a bio-degradable plastic Polymer, that will melt, and print
the end of the filament onto its metal plate, to produce any object in 3D.
It can produce a working car with all its gears, or a 3D picture of your face, even print out complicated Electronic circuits,
that it prints on its own plastic sheet that works when supplied with a battery.
Although the Replicator can produce a unique flexible battery if you want it to.
No it dos'nt print Food to eat just yet.
But it wont be long before it does print real 3D pies to eat made from any mixture of simple foods that will harden at room temperature,
like egg and milk powder, mixed with flour or pasta and chocolate, etc.etc.
The spool of bio-degradable plastic Polymer you need to place in the Replicator is made from Maize, and called PLA (polylactic acid) Its harder than PTFE, but melts at a much lower temp: and so is able to melt the end of the filament, and so build up, by printing to produce any 3D object.
The 3rd generation Replicator (out next year)
will have various snap in spools of different coloured substances both clear and opaque and rubbery.
So that you can produce 3D Art, unique working motors or engine parts complete with gears and cogs, for teachers. It wont be long before all budding Scientists and designers have a 3D printing Replicator on their desk, in the same way as you have your own 2D printer at home right now.
Remember, this is a printer....not an Extruder, thats a large machine which uses an expensive Toolmaker to produce a
very expensive metal die to manufacture, say combs or toothbrushes.
Yes ...this is very slow but it can produce complicated objects very accurately, and for every one who has a computer and an idea the World can become your future Oyster.
Look out for the 3rd Generation Replicator, which is coming out next year.
It looks as though the Future is with us Right Now.
punches a few buttons and out pops the meal he has just punched in?
Well they have just produced a 2nd generation unit thats about as big as your desktop computer, and its called a 'Replicator'
Its a 3D printer that when fed with a spool wound with a bio-degradable plastic Polymer, that will melt, and print
the end of the filament onto its metal plate, to produce any object in 3D.
It can produce a working car with all its gears, or a 3D picture of your face, even print out complicated Electronic circuits,
that it prints on its own plastic sheet that works when supplied with a battery.
Although the Replicator can produce a unique flexible battery if you want it to.
No it dos'nt print Food to eat just yet.
But it wont be long before it does print real 3D pies to eat made from any mixture of simple foods that will harden at room temperature,
like egg and milk powder, mixed with flour or pasta and chocolate, etc.etc.
The spool of bio-degradable plastic Polymer you need to place in the Replicator is made from Maize, and called PLA (polylactic acid) Its harder than PTFE, but melts at a much lower temp: and so is able to melt the end of the filament, and so build up, by printing to produce any 3D object.
The 3rd generation Replicator (out next year)
will have various snap in spools of different coloured substances both clear and opaque and rubbery.
So that you can produce 3D Art, unique working motors or engine parts complete with gears and cogs, for teachers. It wont be long before all budding Scientists and designers have a 3D printing Replicator on their desk, in the same way as you have your own 2D printer at home right now.
Remember, this is a printer....not an Extruder, thats a large machine which uses an expensive Toolmaker to produce a
very expensive metal die to manufacture, say combs or toothbrushes.
Yes ...this is very slow but it can produce complicated objects very accurately, and for every one who has a computer and an idea the World can become your future Oyster.
Look out for the 3rd Generation Replicator, which is coming out next year.
It looks as though the Future is with us Right Now.