3D Printing

We hear a lot about artificial hips and knees, but finger joints? They do exist, but their fit and functionality is limited. Germany's Fraunhofer research group aims to change that, with artificial finger joints that are 3D-printed for each patient.

Italian 3D printing company WASP has revealed plans for an experimental 3D-printed house named Itaca. Once completed, the prototype dwelling will run fully off-the-grid to aid research on self sufficiency and sustainability in a compact area.

A recently finished 3D-printed home has furthered the eco-credentials of the construction method through the use of 100% natural materials, which allows it to be fully recycled at the end of its life.

An interesting 3D-printed mash up between a cargo ebike and a small electric car designed by Berlin's nFrontier recently made its public debut at the Formnext 2022 additive manufacturing expo in Frankfurt, at the booth of industry partner Stratasys.

Though it currently makes up a tiny slice of the housing market, 3D-printed architecture is growing incredibly fast. Leading the charge is Icon, which is currently constructing a huge new 100-home neighborhood near Austin in Texas.

Even if environmental factors such as ocean acidification can be addressed, our decimated coral reefs will still need some help growing back. That's where a "Lego-like" system known as 3D Innoreef is designed to come in.

Italian manufacturer Pinarello has wheeled out what it bills as the first high performance 3D-printed bike and the fastest 3D-printed bike ever built. And we won’t have to wait long to see if those claims check out.

Building structures in difficult-to-reach locations is a daunting task, as bringing in the cranes, scaffolding and whatnot can be difficult. That's why scientists are creating a bee-inspired system, which uses flying 3D-printing drones to do the job.

Engineers have developed a new 3D-printed titanium alloy with a unique microstructure that makes it ultra-strong. Not only is it stronger than other forms of titanium, but it has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any 3D-printed metal ever made.

Sending materials into space is expensive, so the more astronauts can make on-site, the better. Engineers have now demonstrated how crushed Martian rock could be mixed with a titanium alloy to make 3D-printable building materials.

Although polylactic acid bioplastic is known for its biodegradability, it can take a long time to degrade if the conditions aren't right. Washington State University scientists have therefore devised a way of upcycling it into a 3D-printing resin.

We've been hearing a lot about "artificial muscles," which allow robotic devices to perform human-like motions. And while most of them have been produced in labs utilizing high-tech materials, a new type could be made by hobbyists using a 3D printer.