TECHNOLOGY
‘ Dental crowns , hip joint prosthetics , and customised hearing aid shells : 3D printing is used wherever “ replacement parts ” for the body are needed ’
3D printing is used wherever “ replacement parts ” for the body are needed needed . The medical industry will see even more revolutionary developments in the years to come . Researchers are experimenting with the printing of human cells : artificial skin for burn victims , artificial ears , and artificial kidneys are no longer a utopian vision . A Swiss-made 3D printer is designed to manufacture lung tissue , and soon it will also print jawbone implants .
Manufacturers from all industry sectors are exploring which items they may be able to produce using 3D print technology , and logistics service providers are launching pilot projects to identify the need , potential and options for adjusting their business models to include 3D print services . Components manufactured with 3D printing offer the same safety and stability as the traditionally manufactured components they replace , but at a fraction of the weight . Integrating such components into finished aircraft , for example , helps save fuel and reduces CO2 emissions .
3D printing enables decentralisation , saving transport costs and driving down overall logistics expenses . It is also useful for small production batches or limited mass production , and for creating the required moulds
10 February 2015