3D Printing

3D Printing is changing the future of manufacturing. With 3D Printing, is it possible to create a physical object from a three-dimensional digital model. The materials used to create these 3D objects include many thin layers of a material placed on top of one another. The 3D printer is able to create objects from a variety of pliable materials such as plastics, ceramics, metals, and graphene. Graphene, a material that is composed of a single layer of carbon atoms that are bonded together in a repeating pattern of hexagons, is one million times thinner than paper, but significantly stronger and more durable. Being able to produce objects from these various materials has opened the door to breakthroughs in innovation and new applications for these 3D creations.

One field that is seeing tremendous uses with 3D printing is the field of medicine. With the innovations in 3D printing, doctors are able to create customized and patient-specific implants, like the image below. But it doesn’t stop there, 3D printing is changing the field of medicine by allowing doctors to pave a new way toward surgical implants.

The FDA has started to approve 3D printing applications for medical use in surgery, such as osteotomy instruments, orthopedic implants, and dental implant. These surgical procedures include joint and bone replacement, and is helping to provide doctors with a customized fitting for their patients.

These are just a few of the many applications that 3D printing has provided for the field of medicine. As we continue to research and develop, we will see just how far 3D printing can take us. The next technological advancement for 3D printing would be 3D-bioprinting. According to the Journal of Pioneering Medical Sciences, scientists are trying to develop ways to recreate viable tissue, even entire organs, using 3D- printing. Instead of using synthetic materials, scientists are trying to use living cells in gel or liquid form, trying to print them out in a way that emulates living tissues. This would help patients who are on the impacted organ donor list to get organs that are needed to save their life.

Sources:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4437958/

http://blogs.jpmsonline.com/2014/11/12/revolutionizing-medicine-the-future-of-3d-printing-in-healthcare/#sthash.UCHuZdK4.dpuf

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