3-D Printing

Published by patrick honner on

3d PrinterThe NYT has an interesting article about the increased use of 3D printers in commercial applications.  Nowadays, companies are using the technology to build custom furniture, low-cost prosthetic limbs, and even housing components.

Basically, the geometry of the object is laid-out in software (like Autodesk), and the “printer” then translates the design into reality by extruding layers of hot plastic, one after another, building the object up essentially by printing one cross section at a time.

It seems that the process is becoming more commonplace and less expensive, opening the door for a wider array of commercial uses.  I’ve seen students using this technology, and it is a pretty remarkable advance.  I believe you can even have a custom-designed plastic guitar built! 


patrick honner

Math teacher in Brooklyn, New York

2 Comments

Wahaj Chaudhry · September 16, 2010 at 6:19 pm

Maybe something can be made, along the lines of what is included on this page http://480.sagenb.org/home/pub/22/

MrHonner · September 16, 2010 at 9:30 pm

That thing is incredible–a [partially] self-replicating machine! My mind is blown.

Can you build this?

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