Printing Is Making A Bigger Impact On The World - 1046 Words

We use printers every day, but printing is making a bigger impact on the world then we may realize. Using 3D printing, innovators are coming up with ways to create solutions to problems we encounter every day. 3D printing is, surprisingly, not a new concept, and has been around since the eighties. 3D printing entails multiple layers of material that is formed using computer programs to create an object. The most common material used in 3D printing is plastic, but can also be silver, titanium, steel, and wax, to name a few. There are many different programs to run 3D printers. They range in price from free to thousands of dollars. They also range from beginner programs, which offer more direction, to intermediate/ professional programs.†¦show more content†¦The first industry that is utilizing 3D printing is surgery. This technology allows doctors to print exact replicas of organs in order to practice surgery procedures. An advancement like this allows doctors to perform more difficult surgeries, and be comfortable in their understanding of the mechanics of the surgery they are performing. These prototypes also help them see critical elements that may have been missed using 2 dimensional imaging. One such case was a 9-month old who was found to have holes in her heart, more than they had anticipated before the 3-D replica was built. There are many other ways that 3-D printing is changing surgery. Surgeons have replaced jaws, formed new skulls, replaced cancerous vertebra, created titanium heels, and used printed hip implants to make surgeries easier on the patient and more cost effective. The future of surgery using 3-D printing offers incredible opportunities to help even more patients with some of the most deadly and common issues, like the heart. According to 3DPrint.com, â€Å"The heart is an incredibly complex organ, but some experts are optimistic that even it will eventually be able to be repaired with 3D printed parts† (Scott, 2016). The next field that is being revolutionize by 3-D printing is architecture. Currently in China, a company, WinSun, is using 3-D printers to build housing. They specifically are working to build low income housing. According to NYDailyNews.com, â€Å"Last year, the engineering and