User:Eap5266

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Biography

I am a senior Civil Engineering Student at PSU. I was born and raised in Wilkes Barre, PA. I attended The Wilkes Barre branch campus of Penn State for two years before transferring to University Park.

In the future, I plan to be a successful Civil/Environmental engineer at a private firm and own my own dog rescue.

This page will be used to update course work and progress for one of my current classes, EDSGN 497J.

Blog Response to "Nursing Homes in Germany Serve 3D Printed Food"

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nursing-homes-in-germany-serve-3d-printed-food/

Apparently Germany has jumped on the 3D printing bandwagon in a very unique, very big way. The idea of using this new technology to better the lives of the elderly is outstanding. Elderly people have many day to day obstacles to overcome and eating shouldn't be one of them. That being said, baby food like purees are unappetizing and can make the elderly feel even more disabled than they may be. This makes eating a chore or an embarrassment when it should be something that is enjoyed. 3D printing pureed food into recognizable shapes allows patients to enjoy food again, without the risk of harm.

Despite the obvious positives, this use of printing is still questionable. For one, it's costly. Many nursing homes have rejected the idea due to cost comparison. Simply put, a blender is cheaper than a 3D printer. You then have to assign a dollar value to the happiness of patients to determine worth.

Then there are issues with safety. Would multiple printers be needed for multiple foods? Can cross contamination occur within the printers nozzle? Are standards in this case the same as that in a traditional kitchen? The phrase "secret texturizer" raises a red flag. If this food is being fed to people, don't they have the right to know what they're eating?

Overall, the idea is great. It's obviously taken off in Germany since "the concept has been adopted in over 1,000 retirement homes," however it's possible that the technology grew too popular, too fast. I mean, who would trust a company with a name acronym like "PERFORMANCE (PERsonalised FOod using Rapid MAnufacturing for the Nutrition of elderly ConsumErs)'...honestly.

Blog Response to "NASA Funding 3D Food Printer Research"

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Nasa-3d-printing-food-pizza-mars,news-17053.html

Last time, I discussed 3D printing food in nursing homes. This article discusses 3D printing in outer space. Though, technically, it's the same idea, I feel much more positively about NASA taking on this task.

First of all, the cost has a much greater worth. Astronauts may be in space for years without being able to obtain fresh food. There is also limited space on a space shuttle. With this technology, ships would be launched with a printer and a compact supply of powdered foods and liquids needed to last the astronauts their entire trip. This may be more cost effective than the nursing home example. The use of 3D printing in the nursing home was more for enjoyment and on a much larger scale. NASA would use this for space missions and on a much smaller scale. Also, cost wise, NASA is more capable of affording this type of technology than the average nursing home.

Safety seems less of a concern here. The ingredients are stated clearly. Dehydrated food is mixed with water and oil to create appetizing meals. In this field, those in charge wouldn't want to harm the consumers with unsafe additives.

NASA would make great use of 3D printing foods. Maybe, a small scale undertaking under secure regulation is the best way to start looking at this sort of technology in the US. Plus, NASA is an acronym we can all trust.

Blog Response to "3d Printing, clothes & Sensors : for US soldiers"

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

Allow me to start by saying that this article was horribly written. Whoever "admin" obviously did no sort of proof reading before posting this ramble to the world wide web. It contained incorrect spelling, poor grammar, and no sort of structure. Honestly, just look at the title. After I ignored that, the first sentence reads: "The 3d printing technology is growing at very fast rate." This sentence should have have been a red flag. I should have stopped reading. I didn't. The next sentence used "here" rather than "hear." I still read on and even watched the video. I did learn a few things, though.

First of all, the idea of using a 3D printer to create fabrics is awesome. Second, implementing this technology to better the lives of our troops is phenomenal. Each US soldier could be fitted with a custom, seamless uniform, making them more safe and more comfortable. In addition, the possibility of a lightweight bulletproof uniform may be closer than we have ever before imagined.

This article also touched on using 3D printing in the fashion industry. The video showed a 3D printing expo that also had a runway for models wearing entirely 3D printed clothing and shoes. It was mentioned that many of these outfits could not be possible without the technology. Art and additive manufacturing often go hand in hand. The entirely custom and low quantity nature of additive works perfectly in the art world. Fashion is just another expression of art and I think we can expect to see fashion delve further into AM in the future.

Then the article says some random things about 3D printed skin cells, food, jewelry and bird feeders. Makes perfect sense. Thanks "admin".

Blog Response to "NASA Is Building the World's First 3D-Printed Satellite Camera"

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

NASA seems to be at the forefront of the 3D printing boom. There are endless possibilities now available to better the lives of astronauts and to better explore outer space. This article in particular discusses Jason Budinoff, a NASA aerospace engineer, and how he plans to 3D print a 2" camera for space exploration.

This is interesting because it shows how 3D printing could be used to make very high quality items. This camera must be able to withstand very harsh conditions in space. It must meet or exceed very important qualifications and Budinoff believes it will. From the description, it seems that the camera will be printed using powder bed fusion. This way, the part can be made of whatever metal is necessary and can be made using only 4 separate pieces. This is a huge leap from the current process for a comparable camera.

Budinoff also plans on using additive manufacturing to make high quality mirrors. These mirrors will be made entirely out of printed, heated, and pressurized aluminum. The mirrors will be used in aluminum telescopes, making it easy to control temperatures of the device in deep space.

Blog Response to "Thousands of users tapped for first 3D printer buyer's guide"

http://www.computerworld.com/article/2858872/thousands-of-users-tapped-for-first-3d-printer-buyers-guide.html

Recently, 3D printer owners created a buyers guide, rating 90 machines. This article perfectly illustrates two things. The first is the unbelievable online community that additive manufacturing has cultivated. The second is how mainstream 3D printing is, or may be, becoming.

Over 2000 users have participated in this project. Each one rated the printers they have used by printing a test piece named "Marvin," who is pretty adorable. They did this in order to create a guide for prospective buyers. Now, people in the market for a new printer can read information and reviews from real users, rather than from someone trying to make money. We have discussed how great the online community surrounding 3D printing. The use of open source and sharing ideas with others shows how willing the community is to help others and move this technology forward. This user guide is proof of that sense of community.

The article also gives us some figures that prove how common owning a desktop printer is coming. It says "some 33,000 3D printers were shipped worldwide in the third quarter of 2014" as well as "73% of 3D printers shipped in the third quarter of this year were priced at under $10,000." This proves to us that additive devices are increasing in popularity and decreasing in cost. This is a common trend in consumerism. Additive is becoming mainstream and it's very possible that, soon, everyone will have a 3D printer along side their computer.

Blog Response to "Man Constructs 3D Printed Concrete Castle"

http://www.iflscience.com/technology/man-constructs-3d-printed-concrete-castle

Andrey Rudenko 3D printed a concrete castle. He PRINTED a CASTLE. This is mind blowing and really illustrates how much ingenuity paired with 3D printing can accomplish. The idea of creating a real, sustainable structure in a short amount of time can change everything we think about construction. Using special concrete media along with reinforcement when necessary, we can start to print bridges, curbs, sidewalks, and buildings at extremely low prices. Skilled labor would also be significantly reduced. You would need a machine operator, repairman and possibly a few finishers, but not much else. (Aside: If this does happen, countless jobs could be lost. This could spark a whole new discussion.) What Rudenko is really showing us with this castle is endless possibility.

The article very briefly mentions two of these possibilities. "It has been proposed to quickly create inexpensive housing in poverty-stricken areas and even to build infrastructure on Mars before the arrival of astronauts." We can help the poor by printing cheap homes for them to purchase and live in. Traditionally, it would take thousands of dollars and a few years to build new homes. And, unless this money and time were being donated to the needy, the poor would most likely be unable to afford living there anyway. Also, astronauts again can expect innovation through additive manufacturing. It's a bit ambitious to think about, but it's possible that rovers with 3D printers can be sent to alien planets to begin construction before arrival. This would be physically impossible without this technology.

The last interesting point mentioned in this article is the absolute customization possible in 3D printed homes. Rudenko mentions designing homes that include "the frame for the staircase, leave spaces for plumbing and electrical wires, as well as decorative elements." This is an extremely value capability since in a traditional concrete home, it would be extremely difficult to accomplish without drilling, and possibly damaging, the structure.

But everything else aside...HE PRINTED A CASTLE.