When I first heard about 3D printing I thought the technology was an inevitability, a foregone conclusion that would soon take its rightful place in our homes alongside our refrigerators, coffee pots, toasters, and washing machines as an appliance that we just can’t live without. But that never happened. They were too costly, too slow, and too impractical. Why go through all the trouble of printing an item when it’s quicker just to order it on Amazon.
But I always held out hope 3D printing would eventually catch on once a few breakthroughs occurred that would enable objects to be printed in the blink of an eye. Once the logistics caught up to our expectations. And now that day has come thanks to the Star Trek inspired Replicator, a new kind of printer that uses light to do its heavy lifting.
As Futurism puts it, “3D printers work by laboriously printing objects layer by layer. For larger objects, that process can take hours or even days. But now scientists at the University of California, Berkeley have found a shortcut: a printer that can fabricate objects in one shot using light — and which could, potentially, revolutionize rapid manufacturing technology.”
According to the article, “It works more like a computed tomography (CT) scan than a conventional 3D printer. It builds a 3D image by scanning an object from multiple angles, then projects it into a tube of synthetic resin that solidifies when exposed to certain intensities of light. In two minutes, for instance, the team was able to fabricate a tiny figurine of Auguste Rodin’s famous ‘The Thinker’ statue.”
This is an amazing technique, that once fully refined, could completely revolutionize multiple industries and the way we lead our daily lives. The era of 3D printing may finally be upon us. Better late than never.
Is the Replicator the Greatest Idea Ever?
Leave a comment