From Tchotchkes to Race Cars and Cities – 3D Printing Grows Up

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a process that creates or builds a three-dimensional object by successively layering thin layers of a material. The object is created using a 3D modeling software program that uses an ultraviolet laser to successively build the object’s layers on at a time.

Although 3D printing is said to have gotten its first start in the late 1980s, 3D printing became more prolific in the 1990s and early 2000s to assist on a variety of industrial applications for prototyping. By 2009, the first commercially available 3D printer went up for sale (BfB RapMan 3D printer). Makerbot Industries of New York produced several kinds of 3D printers, and the prices were much more economical. Makerbot also supported an open-source software community. These things turned the tide and opened the floodgates for 3D printing mass commercialization.

In 2013, 3D printing saw significant growth, so much so, that it is included as a major force in the fourth Industrial Revolution. (Hey, we talked about this back in May 2013: The New Industrial Revolution – read that here.)

Today, this technology is commonly used in the medical and dental sectors, aerospace, jewelry, art/design/sculpture, fashion, automotive, and even stranger, food. Earlier this year, we talked about how 3D printing has evolved – Is 2015 the Breakout Year for Technology Expansion?

Even more recently, 3D printing has been applied to much bigger and grander things.

The first, gas-powered 3D printed car

For instance, have you heard about the “The Blade”? The Blade is the world’s first 3D printed supercar, as reported by its manufacturer Divergent Microfactories of San Francisco. It’s a gas powered, “supercar” with a 700-horsepower engine and can go from 0 to 60 miles-per-hour in two seconds. Yep, it’s faster than the Hennessey Venom GT which can go 270 mph and can hit 60 mph in 2.5 seconds. The Blade is still faster than the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport which can fly to 268 mph and goes from 0 to 60 in 2.4 seconds.

The Blade’s chassis is built with “Lego like” construction, meaning small, 3D printed parts are fitted into other small 3D printed parts. It’s super sexy too. James Bond would definitely be driving this in his next new flick.

The DM Blade. “1/50 the factory capital costs of other manufactured cars” thanks to 3D printing according to Technabob.com.

Photo courtesy of http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3138145/The-gas-powered-3D-printed-supercar-0-60-TWO-seconds.html

Watch a video of how this 3D vehicle is built with 3D printing. And um, notice: teenagers are putting this together.

Divergent Microfactories plans to sell a limited number of these kinds of high performance vehicles. The goal? “Putting the platform in the hands of small entrepreneurial teams around the world, allowing them to set up their own microfactories and build their cars and, eventually, other large complex structures” (The gas powered 3D printed ‘Lego’ supercar, DailyMail.co.uk).

The world’s first 3D printed houses

3D printing can construct so many things. Why not a house? In China, a company name Winsun built 10 3D printed houses – in one day. The cost? Only $5,000 apiece.

And in Amsterdam, a group of architects began printing the 3D Print Canal House using renewable materials. President Obama was one of the visitors this year! This is a unique project where an international team of partners will collaborate on building a canal house in the heart of Amsterdam. The goal? Coming up with a construction process for building housing and building solutions fast and very cost efficiently.

Watch this incredible video on the background of 3D printing the Canal House.

3D Print Canal House from 3D Print Canal House on Vimeo.

3D printing has never been so bold and impressive.

Dare we say, 3D is all grown up and is changing our world?

Sources:
http://3dprintingindustry.com/3d-printing-basics-free-beginners-guide/applications/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3138145/The-gas-powered-3D-printed-supercar-0-60-TWO-seconds.html
http://www.businessinsider.com/3d-printed-houses-construction-industry-neighborhoods-2015-3