3D printing news round-up: March 2015
In last month’s 3D printing news update, we covered a 3D printed mansion, a pseudo-teleportation device and a case study of how rapid prototyping has helped a company to bring its products to market 40% faster. This month, we’ve scoured news reports around the world for another set of innovative and exciting 3D printing applications!
3D printing saves the life of an infant
The medical uses of 3D printing has been discussed prolifically, from the creation of prosthetic limbs for pets to brand new, fully functional organs (in the not-too-distant future, perhaps). However, few stories involving 3D printing are as startling as one which appeared earlier this month, where the life of a two-year old girl born with a heart condition was saved thanks to a 3D printer! Mina khan was born with a hole in the wall between two chambers of her heart, meaning that she was unable to gain weight and was constantly exhausted. This internal disfigurement was so extreme that doctors initially thought it would be inoperable, but they thought wrong!
By using 3D scanning technology, doctors were able to generate a digital blueprint of the girl’s heart, which they used to construct a 3D replica model - this allowed them to design a bespoke patch which would perfectly fit the dimensions of the girl’s heart. This model also allowed the doctor’s to do practice runs of the surgery, meaning that they perfected what needed to be done before they even entered the operating room. The patch was successfully sewn on and now the little girl is on the road to recovery. Although it will be some time before we start seeing the transplantation of 3D printed organs, it’s good to see that 3D printing is already being used in reconstructive surgeries to help save and improve lives.
3D printed bike fails spectacularly
Several years ago, Empire Cycles created the world’s first 3D printed bicycle frame, constructed with titanium and bonded together using a 3M structural epoxy adhesive. The initial objective of this project was to create a lighter bicycle while also exploring new manufacturing processes. The bicycle, known as the MX6-R, is incredibly durable and is 33% lighter than the aluminium equivalent - unfortunately its price reflects this as it is valued at $30,000! Looking for a cheaper alternative, a pair of Canadian engineering students sought to create a bike frame manufactured primarily from plastic. Unfortunately, 200 hours of design time was wasted when the bike fell apart at the press release - hopefully the revised version will be slightly more durable!
Art for the visually impaired
Common thought is that visual art is to be appreciated with the eyes, but what about for those who are visually impaired? Fortunately, Robert C. Byrd Institute (RCBI) for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing and the Huntington Museum of Art have paired up to make the art exhibited at the museum more accessible to those with visual impairments. A new exhibit has been created featuring the work of Dr. Stephanie Skolik, an ophthalmologist who considered a career in art before she joined the field of medicine.
Alongside the pieces of art at the exhibit, there are audio descriptions of it and 3D printed versions of it so that people with visual impairments can touch it and come to understand it. Using a photograph of Skolik’s painting “Joy of Love”, a digital blueprint of the painting was created and a 3D model was printed in resin, measuring 9 inches long and 7 inches wide. This just goes to show that with the right technology and effort, people with visual impairments can enjoy art just as much as everybody else.
Tagged with: 3D scanning, medical use, art
