3D Printing

Ordinarily, if you want to change the shape in which an object is 3D-printed, you have to alter the computer model that tells the printer what to do. A new and simpler technique, however, allows the printer to initiate the changes itself, as the print job is in progress.

As a seedling matures into a tree, its trunk and branches become stiffer and stronger. Scientists have now replicated this effect in a photosynthesis-assisted 3D-printing ink, made partially from spinach.

The embedding of fibers within 3D-printed objects can be used to add properties such as electrical conductivity or extra strength to those items. Now, a shape-changing print nozzle has been developed to vary the orientation of those fibers – as the printing is in process.

Ordinarily, if you want to make a 3D-printed liquid-filled object, you have to inject the liquid after the object has been printed. A new process, however, allows such items to be printed in one step – and it could have some valuable applications.

We've been following the WobbleWorks developments since the first Kickstarter in 2013, even raising our doodles off the page on a number of occasions. The professional-grade Pro+ went on sale at the end of October, and we've been giving it a whirl.

While "traditional" objects may exhibit varying degrees of glossiness in different areas, 3D-printed items are typically uniformly shiny all over. That could be about to change, however, thanks to a new printer designed at MIT.

While 3D-printed aluminum parts are becoming increasingly common in the aerospace industry, any weaknesses in those parts can cause them to fail catastrophically. A new additive could help, by making the aluminum 1.5 times harder.

The Meltio Engine giveth, and it taketh away. It's a production-grade manufacturing system that attaches to any CNC machine or robot arm, and it allows you to add metal through laser deposition, and then shape and refine it through CNC in one step.

If you were planning to perform open-heart surgery on someone, it would definitely help if you could first do a "dry run" on an exact replica of their heart. Doing so may soon be possible, thanks to a recent advance in 3D printing technology.

Engineers at Cornell University have developed a new technique for 3D printing metallic objects – and it involves blasting titanium particles at supersonic speeds. The resulting metals are very porous, making them useful for biomedical implants.

Given how long some 3D-printing jobs can take, most people don't sit around and watch the entire process. This means they may miss printing errors, which waste a lot of filament. AIMS, however, reportedly uses AI to spot errors and stop the printer.

Ordinarily, when using an off-the-shelf 3D printer, it's quite difficult to print a single object that incorporates multiple materials. An experimental new system could make it easier, though, by utilizing a "programmable filament."