User:Kgrauer

Keith Grauer | EDSGN 479J | RepRap Wiki Blogs

Blog #1: 3D-Printed Clothes & Sensor for US Soldiers

http://www.einfolive.com/3d-printing-cloths-sensors/

The few advances mentioned in this article already seem extremely positive, and I’m sure there is more work going on behind the curtins withtin the army. This research and development work interests me extremely, especially with the 3D Printing technology. The article hinted that materials are being mixed extremely efficiently during the 3D Printing process to maximize the performance of the end-use composition. This makes me believe that soon simple cloth-like materials will be infused to with the proper materials to make it strong enough to withstand a bullet – yes, microfibers of carbon (or something) that will make it bullet-proof. It’s clear this advancing technology has a huge influence in the army world and these few achievements are only the spark to the fire.

Blog #2: NASA is building the World's First 3D-Printed Satellite Camera

http://mashable.com/2014/08/12/3d-printed-cubesat-camera/

This article opens with “NASA is already using 3D printing to make rocket engine parts, a space pizza maker and even physical photos from the Hubble Space Telescope.” This immediately sparked my attention and made me search the articles about these accomplishments (covered in Blog #3). But, the next step to the future of 3D-Printing is being taken now that NASA is producing a satellite almost entirely with this technology. Sadly, the article mentions that the satellite won’t be “deep-space ready,” but I’m sure they will be in the near future. The development of this technology and specifically this use-case has an incredible amount of potential. The space exploration world could be changed forever within the next few years because of this, which is exciting to imagine.

Blog #3: NASA Tests Limits of 3D-Printing with Powerful Rocket Engine Check

http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/3d-printed-rocket-injector.html#.VIi20Ye27zI

Not only did NASA 3D-Print a critical component of a rocket engine, but it also produced a record-breaking 20,000 pounds of thrust during testing. The component is the injector, and it produced ten times more thrust than any previous inject, according to the article. This is incredible and instantly makes me think of how they achieved this. Assuming that the injectors used to be machined, the geometries were most likely limited in terms of complexity. But, with additive manufacturing, complexity is free. Or, in other words, the internal passages could be extremely complex and curved. Thus, I think NASA achieved this accomplishment by utilizing a much more efficient flow system within the injector. The other benefit from this component is the cheap cost associated with its production, which is mentioned in the article. This component was 3D-printed with metal, which seems to be the sector of additive manufacturing that truly has the most potential. NASA has once again taken a step into the future of 3D-Printing, pushing the boundaries of this evolutionary-like technology. A 20-second clip of the test can be found at the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JntV442dB5o

Blog #4: Discov3ry Paste Extruder: Afforable Add-on for 3 Printers

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/structur3d/discov3ry-extruder-do-more-than-ever-with-your-3d

The video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8zs4WRehis#t=35) found at the end of the article is the Part 2 to the introductory video and it goes into much more depth on this technology. It is an incredible technology that, in my opinion, is being under-utilized. It has changed the Fused Deposition Modeling world immensely by introducing pastes rather than filaments. It’s currently being used for things like custom orthotics, cake icing, flexible phone cases, and other small objects. But, on a production/professional scale, this technology could potentially open a new world. What first comes to mind are the types of molds used during green sand mold casting. These molds are made essentially with a paste, which could now be 3D-Printed in paste form with this technology. Therefore, the lead-time and cost to produce these molds would be greatly decreased, and the geometries could be much more complex with the use of water-soluble supports. Ultimately, I definitely feel that there is a future with technology, but it needs more professional research and development.

Blog #5: Food is the Next Frontier of 3D Printing

http://www.dezeen.com/2013/03/27/food-is-the-next-frontier-of-3d-printing-janne-kytannen/

Food has emerged as one of the most explored fields within the 3D-Printing world; I seem to see different use-cases every day. But, this doesn’t mean it has already covered most of its potential, because I feel this specific use of 3D-Printing still has a lot of room to grow. Additive Manufacturing, as it is mentioned in a past article from NASA, is being used to produce perfectly proportioned compositions of meals, all within one single solid. This is being utilized even further to match the nutritional diets of astronauts, which is incredible in terms of efficiency. This article speaks on the versatility in the food world, specifically how everyone wants something different on their foods, or in other words, everyone has their own specific preferences. With 3D-Printing, these specific preferences could be satisfied more and more easily as the technology advances. Hopefully, it will continue with an open source fashion, and possible have “recipes” on a website similar to thingaverse.com. Thus, everyone could easily create millions of different styles of foods, which could essentially change the world of restaurants and delivery entirely.

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