The Future of 3D Printing – 5 Cool Things That May be 3D Printed Someday

making-the-future

3D printing isn’t being called “the second industrial revolution” for nothing. In recent years, 3D printing has made amazing progress in nearly every sector of manufacturing and continues to reinvent the manufacturing process as it creates new possibilities for innovation.

While looking forward to the potential that 3D printing holds, here are some things that we may see 3D printed sometime in the near future.

Houses

According to a researcher at the University of Southern California, 3D printed houses are not that far off. In fact, a concept design for a giant 3D printer has already been created. This concept printer could potentially 3D print a 2500 square foot house in just 24 hours.

Wood, Bone, Enamel

3D printed wood may one day be a possibility. Researchers funded by NASA are currently working on a way to bioprint 3D printed wood. Researchers are experimenting with using a 3D printer to print cells that are specially engineered to secrete nonliving biomaterials, such as enamel, bone, silk, and wood. This technology would potentially be able to be used in space, as a way to transport valuable materials to projects that are being conducted in space stations.

Meat

3D printed meat might be a very real possibility soon. Co-founders of the biotech company Organovo have started a new project –Modern Meadow, with the aim of producing synthetic leather and meat. These products are created using “bio-ink,” cellular matter. There may be a real demand for this “slaughter free meat” and leather in the future.

Aircraft

3D printed planes may sound ultra-futuristic but Airbus has been incorporating 3D printing technology into their manufacturing process and hopes to one day be able to 3D print a jet – with a curved fuselage and a bionic structure, as well as transparent skin that will allow for a panoramic view of the sky!

Organs

Researchers hope that living organs, suitable for transplants, will be in available in the future as well. With advancements being made in 3D “bioprinting” living tissues, organs such as livers, hearts, and even blood vessels are a real possibility – sometime in the near future.

What do you think the future of 3D printing will hold?

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