3D printing - Applications and end users

The automotive sector is constantly looking for more eco-friendly alternatives to the traditional methods of transportation due to growing concerns over climate change and global warming. The issue that is most difficult to overcome is the economics of the endeavor, however with the right combination of engineering ingenuity and additive manufacturing technologies we might find some progress in this department as well.

Worldwide, around one third of all food is wasted. Despite the fact that wasted volumes in percentage of the total production amounts are relatively low, the numbers in kilos is an considerable amount and a great incentive to find new possibilities to lower the amount. 3D food printing could play an interesting role.

Researchers have created a new type of tiny 3D-printed robot that moves by harnessing vibration from piezoelectric actuators, ultrasound sources or even tiny speakers. Swarms of these "micro-bristle-bots" might work together to sense environmental changes, move materials - or perhaps one day repair injuries inside the human body.

Robotics researchers have for the first time used a commercial 3D printer to embed complex sensors inside robotic limbs and grippers. But they found that materials commercially available for 3D printing still need to be improved before the robots can be fully functional.

By energizing precursor molecules using a tiny, high-energy supersonic jet of inert gas, researchers have dramatically accelerated the fabrication of nanometer scale structures. The rapid additive manufacturing technique also allows them to produce structures with high aspect ratios. Now, a theory developed to describe the technique could lead to new applications for additive nanomanufacturing and new nanoscale materials.

The Mink printer is the world's first 3D makeup printer enabling users to bring their beauty content to life, instantly transforming images into wearable makeup.

Relativity is on a mission to create an entirely reimagined process to iterate and scale rockets quickly and build them in space.

There's nothing quite like the comforting squeeze of your partner's hand. But a robot's hand? That's perhaps a bit different.

Inkjet printing is expected to fast track the commercialization of organic solar cells. Researchers have exploited this technique to generate high-efficiency solar cells at large scales.