Did you know we can print 3D objects? The Science Alive program at the Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) contains several exciting and interesting science-based encounters, one of which is its three-dimensional printing (3D printer) demonstration. Three-dimensional printing is a relatively new science. Although the idea has been around since the 1940s, the first successful 3D printer was made in 1981 by Dr. Hideo Kodama. However, the material we have today wasn’t around then, so he used a special kind of resin. It is now used for several different purposes, including medicine. Doctors recently used 3D printing to make a human ear that was successfully transplanted! This is exciting news for scientists and doctors, because it opens many possibilities to help people.
Fun fact: there is even a 3D printer on the International Space Station! The scientists can create or replace gear and tools without waiting months for the next shuttle delivery. Another cool area where 3D printing has been used is architecture. Professional architects use these machines to print concept models of buildings before they are built. They can even use 3D printing to build the entire structure! These printers are much bigger than the one at RMSC, though. That’s because they use cement—buildings are very large, after all.
So, what is the science behind 3D printing? It’s actually pretty simple. A filament is heated. Once it is melted, the filament is sent through an extremely hot extruder. When the hot material comes out of the extruder, it is placed with precision onto a heated platter until, layer after layer, it creates the object. The type of object that it creates can be made because of special coding in the computer of the printer.
There are many different kinds of filaments used in 3D printing. The kind that is mostly used in RMSC’s printers is made of biodegradable material. This is so it doesn’t contribute to pollution if thrown away. However, there are other filaments that are metal based, too.
Some of the designs that RMSC makes in its 3D printer are sharks, fish fossils, and turtles. There is even a replica of a Star Wars spaceship! The museum gives away some of these designs, so don’t miss out on the 3D printing demonstration the next time you visit RMSC.
GLOSSARY
- Resin—a sticky organic substance, impossible to dissolve in water, that comes from some trees and other plants
- Transplant—to move or transfer something to another place or situation
- Architecture—the art or practice of designing and constructing buildings
- Filament—a thin threadlike object or fiber
- Extruder—a machine that shapes material by forcing it through a specially designed opening
- Biodegradable—a substance or object capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms
- Pollution—the presence in or introduction into the environment of a substance or thing that has harmful or poisonous effects