Business Posibilities of 3D Printing

Executives guide to the
business possibilities
of 3D printing
Copyright 2014 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved.
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EXECUTIVES GUIDE TO THE BUSINESS POSSIBILITIES OF 3D PRINTING
Executives guide to the
business possibilities
of 3D printing
Copyright 2014 by CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved.
TechRepublic and its logo are trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc.
All other product names or services identifed throughout this
book are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
companies. Reproduction of this publication in any form without
prior written permission is forbidden.
Published by TechRepublic
August 2014
Disclaimer
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sources believed to be reliable. CBS Interactive Inc. disclaims
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Credits
Editor In Chief
Jason Hiner
Managing Editor
Bill Detwiler
Senior Editors
Jody Gilbert
Mary Weilage
Sonja Thompson
Teena Hammond
Graphic Designer
Kimberly Smith
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Contents
04 Introduction
05 How 3D printing is building a new future
10 What 3D printing needs to go mainstream
12 10 ways 3D printing will disrupt business and industry
16 The missing link in 3D printing: User-friendly software
19 3D bioprinting: How it works and where its headed
22 10 things you should know about the dark side of 3D printing
25 Scientists are 3D printing a human heart that will work better
than yours
27 GE: 3D printing is revolutionizing traditional manufacturing
29 How recycled plastic for 3D printing will drive sustainability and
improve social consciousness
32 3D Systems CEO ofers a vision of 3D Printing 2.0
34 The mad scientists of 3D printing: How MadeSolid is remixing
the formula
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Introduction
3D printing is one of todays most hyped technologies. But its also a technology to watch.
Once almost the sole province of engineers, 3D printing is now fnding its way into more and more industries
and businesses. And thanks to dropping prices and wider opportunities for use, the consumer market is grow-
ing as well. In fact, Gartner predicts that 3D technology will reach mainstream adoption in both enterprise and
consumer markets within 10 years.
There seems to be little doubt that 3D printing will have a tremendous impact on the way products are
designed, produced, and distributed. Little wonder that its being touted as the next Industrial Revolution. But
some hefty obstacles stand in the way of widespread implementation of 3D printing technologies, including
massive energy consumption, pollution, ethical considerations, the ability to create banned or illegal items, and
concerns over threats to intellectual property.
Weve put together this guide to help you understand how 3D printing is evolving, the impact it may have
on various industries, what possibilities it might open up for your business, and what disruptions are likely to
follow as the technology matures and gains traction.
Sincerely,
Jason Hiner
Editor in Chief
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How 3D printing is building a new
future
By Lyndsey Gilpin
3D printing has recently emerged as techs topic with the greatest expectations. It gets touted as the innova-
tion destined to transform nearly everything, from manufacturing to medicine to entrepreneurship.
Technically, 3D printing, or additive manufacturing, refers to the process of creating almost any three-dimen-
sional object with various materials, such as plastic, metal, or carbon fber. For the past three decades, 3D
printers have been primarily used by engineers for rapid prototyping.
But with the rise of low-cost 3D printers in recent years, the technology has turned into a movement and a
catalyst to disrupt industries, businesses, and conventional ways of doing lots of thingsfrom buying replace-
ment parts to designing your own custom jewelry and accessories.
3D printing is quickly becoming popular with the average consumer and small business owner, and its
unleashing a movement of entrepreneurial makers. Its also changing the way big-name manufacturers like
Boeing and General Electric build their products. The two companies now use 3D printers to make dozens of
parts for airplanes and jet engines, for example.
Desktop 3D printers are one of the fastest-growing categories on crowdfunding sites like Kickstarterand
some of the most highly funded campaigns. They are now available for purchase through commercial retailers
like Home Depot and on Amazon, and they have become a fxture in hackerspaces and startup offces across
the planet.
In 2013, Gartner reported 49% growth of 3D printers under $100,000. It was the frst time the research frm
analyzed data regarding that area of the market. For 2014, analysts predicted 75% growth. Another report,
published by Allied Market Research, predicts that the global 3D printing market will reach $8.6 billion by
2020.
Even more recently, Gartner predicted the technology will reach mainstream adoption in both enterprise and
consumer markets within 10 years. The reality is that it could happen even sooner in specifc markets, such
as manufacturing and medicine. Still, the 3D printing industry must overcome numerous hurdles frst, including
things as simple as energy usage and the materials used (most commonly unreliable plastic) and as complex
as intellectual property issues.
As with any exciting new technology, the hype often clouds our judgment about where the state of the industry
actually lies. Before we get a desktop 3D printer we imagine to be a Star Trek replicator, lets step back and
put it into perspective.
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States of disruption
In January 2009, Bre Pettis badly wanted a 3D printer to begin mak-
ing things, but he couldnt afford one. So Pettis and his team decided
to make one on their own. The result was the MakerBot Replicator.
When we started, 3D printers were in academic institutions and
high-end design studios. And we just thought everybody should have
onethat this should be on every single desktop, and everybody
should have access to a MakerBot and be able to make things they
need, Pettis said.
Since 1983, when Charles Hull, the co-founder and CTO of 3D
Systems, invented stereolithography (SLA) printing, 3D printers have
largely been out of reach for the majority of the population.
Because engineers were, for the most part, the only people who
utilized the computer-aided design (CAD) software needed to create
3D printed objects, 3D printing remained little more than a specialized
tool in a highly specialized profession for its frst two and a half
decades. There were only a few exceptions, like Ford Motor Company, which has used 3D printing technology
since the 1980s, and academic institutions with high-end additive manufacturing labs, like the University of
Louisville in Louisville, KY.
Now, both large and small scale companies realize they can make a relatively modest investment into 3D
printing technology so they can prototype products, make small parts, and use alternative design technologies
that were not possible previously, according to Pete Basiliere, the lead 3D printing analyst at Gartner.
3D printing frees up the engineer and creative person in the market or an organization from the shackles of
the traditional technologies, he said.
Manufacturing isnt the only industry benefting from the technology. The medical industry is also rapidly
growing its usein particular, dentistry, which uses 3D printing to simplify the orthodontic process by
designing and printing molds. And bioprinting is quickly becoming more popular, with companies like
Organovo testing printed organ tissues. Startups in the food industry are now experimenting with the
technology, like testing 3D printed meatless meat to help reduce carbon footprints and using 3D printing to
better understand the nutritional makeup of food.
No one has fgured out the precise recipe for bringing the desktop 3D printer to the masses. Part of that is
because no traditional printer companies have entered the marketdespite HPs grand promises. Todays
major players are Stratasys, which now owns MakerBot, and 3D Systems, which sells its desktop 3D printers
under the Cube brand. Both companies have built partnerships with manufacturers like BMW, Hasbro, and
Hersheys to mark territory before HP enters.
Because engineers
were, for the most
part, the only people
who utilized the
computer-aided
design (CAD)
software needed
to create 3D
printed objects, 3D
printing remained
little more than a
specialized tool in
a highly specialized
profession for its
rst two and a half
decades.
7
It has left the market ripe for growthwhich is where crowdfunding has stepped in. The machines are some of
the most highly funded projects of all time:
Form1, a desktop 3D printer, raised $2.9 million in 2012.
The Micro, a 7x7 desktop printer, raised $3.4 million earlier this year.
3Doodler, a 3D printing pen, raised $2.3 million in 2013.
Buccaneer, a desktop 3D printer, raised $1.4 million in 2013.
On the consumer side of the market, its very clear now were talking into the hundreds of outfts trying to
provide low cost, consumer oriented 3D printers. That in theory is good for consumers because it starts to
bring 3D printers to a price that is more appealing to consumers as opposed to early adopters and hobbyists
and makers, Basiliere said.
Also popular with consumers is 3D printings open source roots. Websites like Shapeways and Thingiverse
offer a place for anyone to upload and share designs, and the platforms have laid the foundation for a creative
community.
Shapeways team has increased twofold since last year, and it now makes 130,000 parts on a monthly basis.
About 120,000 designs are uploaded every month by users. More than 15 materials, including various colors
of plastics, metals, and precious metals like silver and gold are available to print. Shapeways currently has two
offces: New York and the Netherlands, and CEO Peter Weijmarshausen said he plans to grow the company in
the coming years.
What Im surprised by is the creativity of our community, he said. When you give people the freedom to
create what they want, its completely mind blowing... give people freedom, and they will do it.
The major obstacles
A major hurdle for 3D printing is the overall ecosystemit hasnt matured yet. Though communities have
sprouted up online, theyre not popular or convincing enough to take the technology mainstream. And even
if there are getting close to a hundred options for 3D printer models, theyre not still compelling or intuitive
enough for a broad audience to use on a regular basis.
Many of the crowdfunded models will not all have viable business models, and most of them will probably
disappear over the next few years.
Consumers are going to get the idea that they can buy this kind of device and fnd that the provider is going
to be with them for a long time, Basiliere said. Many of those companies are going to be... scrapped for
funding for additional development.
These desktop printers, whether theyre crowdfunded or sold by major retailers, are not yet fully functional or
affordable, which will hold the industry back from gaining ground in the consumer market. For instance, the
smallest version of a MakerBot is the Replicator Mini, which runs about $1,400.
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TechRepublic recently bought one of these for the offce, set it up on a desk, hooked up the software, and
pressed Print. No dice. It turned out that the software was clunky and the extruder head didnt work correctly,
so we returned it to Amazon and ordered a new one. That machines drive belt was severed upon arrival and
so it was unusable as well and is now on the way back for a second replacement unit.
Its only one particular instance, but it shows that 3D printing hasnt totally arrived yet. The software is still
confusing and is often not compatible between makes and models; the machine itself doesnt work if you
simply hit Print. The 3D printers also hog energy, waste plastic, and make more noise than a copy machine.
The major inhibitor in the consumer market is that [there is] no
compelling application to encourage a person to buy one or bring
it into the home. If youre a hobbyist or person who has means to
invest in expensive new gadgetry, certainly youll buy. The reality is,
after youve done modeling and made some gifts, you can buy the
equivalent online or at a physical store, Basiliere said.
But the growth of this market as a whole is far outpacing any
regulations for it. On Shapeways and Thingiverse, users can
design and download basically anything they want, from Star Wars
characters to Google Glass accessories. Tweak, share, and sell the
productsthe designs are free, and right now, its all legalor at
least the legal ramifcations are still a gray area.
Weijmarshausen said Shapeways does not allow copyrighted material
to be distributed on the site, but thats only one slice of the pie. No
one can control what people design and print at home, and only time will tell how companies handle this issue.
Some are trying to build partnerships with 3D printing services to allow for experimentation with patents and
designs to stay ahead of the game.
The promise of 3D printing
Imagine loading a 3D design for a replacement part on your USB and taking it to a service bureausomething
like Kinkosto print it out. This is the ultimate promise of 3D printing: that one day soon, it will make things
that simple.
But frst, 3D printing needs to appeal to a wider audience. Even with the hype, the community is still mostly
made up of makers and hobbyists, though Basiliere said Gartner predicts there will be a compelling application
for having one in the home by 2016.
It needs to be easy to use, affordable, and relevant. The marketplace on Shapeways where the designers
build their own businesses and bring really cool products to market, this is how we inspire people. I think that
Imagine loading
a 3D design for a
replacement part
on your USB and
taking it to a service
bureausomething
like Kinkosto print
it out. This is the
ultimate promise of
3D printing: that one
day soon, it will make
things that simple.
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inspiration is what will bring 3D printing to the forefront, making it much more relevant for a much broader
audience, Weijmarshausen said.
Service bureaus could bring this technology full circle, he added. When Shapeways started, there were 3D
printing bureaus because the machines were too big to ft inside a home, but the facilities never really caught
on. Since most people are still on the fence about buying their own, service bureaus could offer an attractive
alternative.
This week, Amazon announced the addition of a 3D printing store on its website, where people can customize
and order products. Right now, the list of goods is short, but it proves the retailer is betting that 3D printing is
here to stay. It may be the start of this service bureau trend, and it may be the start of mass adoption. Time will
tell.
So far, it has proven diffcult to predict how the world will react to 3D printing. Its opening up new avenues
of creativity for the average consumer and creating a new paradigm for manufacturing, new opportunities for
entrepreneurs, and new issues for lawmakers, all of which are confusing to navigate. One thing, however, is
fairly certain: 3D printing is poised to be the epitome of a disruptive technology.
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What 3D printing needs to go
mainstream
By Larry Dignan
3D printing is one of the notable tech developments to watch this year, but its unclear whether the parts and
conditions are in place to truly go mainstream for consumers and enterprises.
Based on what we know today, its clear that 3D printing has a much better chance to go mainstream with
enterprises frst. After all, companies like 3D Systems are large enough to have strong relationships with
manufacturers. Stratasys is another large player with innovative technology and enough of track record for IT
buyers.
Wall Street analysts project that the largest 3D printing players will have $1 billion in revenue by the end of
2016, about double from sales estimates for 2013. High-end systems, about $1 million a pop, are used in
manufacturing operations and driving sales.
The big questions: Are we there yet? When will 3D printing go mainstream? And what needs to happen for
an ecosystem to develop? Today, 3D printing is for relatively large companies and hobbyists. Here are a few
thoughts on what needs to happen for 3D printing to be so mainstream your mother will ask about it.
Business
A narrative. 3D printing is being used in manufacturing or Stratasys and 3D Systems wouldnt have
a collective $1 billion in revenue in 2013. There are real returns, design and prototyping advances, and
effciency behind 3D printing on a mass scale. The industry has had some trouble telling its customer
stories. That fact isnt that surprising given that enterprise giants often cant piece together a good story
either. Stratasys, with its latest Objet500 Connex3 Color Multi-material 3D Printer, outlined what Trex
Bicycle was doing with the system. More case studies like Trex are needed.
Integration and implementation partners. Enterprise software needs consultants and integrators like
IBM and Accenture, and its not a stretch to see that 3D printing companies are going to need similar
help. Today, 3D printing is a nice-to-have venture in manufacturing. Big integrators could start pitching
supply chain reinvention stories.
New personalized products. Custom products tailor-made for individuals but available to the masses
could be a compelling story. If a product was designed and optimized for 3D printing distribution in an
industry, rivals would follow the leader in a hurry.
Disruption. 3D printing could enable small companies to manufacture on the fy like large ones to some
degree. Should a startup come up with a hit product, avoid Chinese sourcing and all the headaches that
go with a global supply chain, and punch a few giants in the mouth, 3D printing will become must-buys
for enterprises.
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A real total cost of ownership and return on investment story. Tie 3D printing and the prototype agility to
revenue, and its a win. Outline the cost savings on manufacturing older, hard-to-source parts in terms of
inventory savings, and its a win. There arent enough deployments yet to nail down hard numbers, but
there will have to be enough fgures to entice CFOs to sign the checks.
Big enterprise players. Its quite possible that enterprises see 3D Systems and Stratasys as the next-
generation Hewlett-Packard. However, enterprise buyers like to stick with known names. Should HP enter
the market and bring a few rivals along, 3D printing and its returns will at least garner more enterprise
interest.
Consumer
A software ecosystem. Adobes move to include 3D modeling in its Creative Cloud was a positive
frst step for small business adoptions and prototypes via creative professionals. But there needs to
be more of that, where 3D printing is available just as your inkjet would be. This ecosystem would
also be needed on the business side of the equation.
Lower prices. 3D printers are going to have to hit the $400 ballpark to be an option for consumers.
To hit those price points, players with scalelike HP and Canonmust enter the market. And then
there are the supplies. If ink is a pain in your budget, just imagine what 3D printing supplies will run
you.
Household names. Making headway in the consumer market is going to be expensive for 3D
printer makers.The likes of HP and Canon are probably among the few that will have the marketing
budgets to educate the masses.
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10 ways 3D printing will disrupt
business and industry
By Lyndsey Gilpin
For better or worse, the 3D printing industry is poised to transform nearly every sector of our lives and
jumpstart the next Industrial Revolution. Sound like hyperbole? Here are 10 major impacts the 3D printing
ecosystem will have on businesses, consumers, and the global economy.
1: Massive environmental impacts
Traditional manufacturing is often wasteful and dirty. In many ways, 3D printing lessens that waste and the
carbon footprint manufacturing has on the Earth:
Fewer wasted materials. Only the raw materials needed to create the objectbe it plastic flament, metal
powder, or carbon fberare used. Using biodegradable PLA plastic flament in fused deposition modeling
printers like MakerBots is a good start.
Possibility of longer life spans. Product parts can be replaced with 3D printing (or at least, thats the idea
for the future), so the entire product doesnt have to be thrown away and replaced each time it malfunctions.
Less transport. Products often travel across many continents to get to their fnal destination. With 3D print-
ing, the production and assembly can be local. Raw materials are the only things that will ship, and they take
up far less space.
Fewer unsold products. When a company makes a product, the ones that are discontinued or not sold
often end up piling up in landflls. 3D printing can improve this because companies can make them as needed.
This is all great in theory, but research shows 3D printers themselves have ineffciencies that make them less
environmentally friendly. An inkjet 3D printer wastes 40% to 45% of its ink. And if a printer isnt turned off or
unplugged, it uses an excessive amount of electricity. As the printers become more accessible, manufacturers
will need to fgure out how to improve these issues.
2: Creating a new art medium
The Maker Movement is getting more nichenow we can call it the Artisanal Movement. 3D printers are
being used to create new types of modern art, like this 3D headdress created by artist Joshua Harker, which
debuted at 3D Printshow in New York City. The printers can also re-create pieces that arent accessible to
everyone around the world, which helps museums. For instance, the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam has
teamed with Fujiflm to recreate 3D replicas of several Van Gogh paintings.
3: Innovation in education
A few months ago, MakerBot announced MakerBot Academy, a crowdfunded plan to get a 3D printer into
every school in America. It can change the whole paradigm of how our children will see innovation and
manufacturing in America, MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis said in the announcement. The company also recently
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announced a plan to turn colleges and universities into MakerBot Innovation Centers. Starting with State
University of New York at New Palz, the centers are equipped with 30 3D printers along with several 3D
scanners to help train engineers, architects, and artists and increase motivation for growth in the industry.
4: 3D printing in zero-gravity
One of the most logical uses for 3D printing is printing parts, tools, and other gadgets for astronauts while
theyre in space. It can also help accelerate the building of parts for the International Space Station. To ad-
dress these problems, Made In Space was formed by a group of space veterans and 3D printing enthusiasts.
They have partnered with NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center to launch the frst 3D printer in space. It will
manufacture parts in zero gravity, and the hope is to make space missions more self-suffcient.
On a related note, an engineer won a grant from NASA last year to prototype a machine that will print food
thats better than the freeze-dried stuff astronauts normally eat.
5: Revolutionizing mass manufacturing
Mass production is the biggest challenge in 3D printing, but with the adoption of large-scale printers and
rapidly evolving technology to produce parts faster, the printers will completely disrupt traditional manufactur-
ing in many industries:
Food. Anything that exists in liquid or powder form can be 3D printed, so naturally, printed food is one of the
next big conversations.
Military. The machinery for the military is often customized, and replacements must be made quickly. A 3D
gun has already been printed, so its only a matter of time before the technology catches on in this industry.
Electronics. The size, shape, and materials used to build electronics make this industry a natural candidate
for 3D printing.
Toys. Home 3D printers and open source design will change the way children create and play.
Automotive. This industry is already utilizing the technologyFord reportedly uses 3D printing to test parts.
High-end and smaller auto companies will beneft frst, though 3D printing could improve the effciency of mak-
ing replacement parts for any company.
6: Changing medicine and healthcare
Bioprinting is one of the fastest-growing areas of 3D printing. The technology uses inkjet-style printers to make
living tissue. Organovo, the most well-known company that does this, plans to commercialize 3D-printed liver
tissue sometime this year. It has also partnered with the National Eye Institute and the National Center for
Advancing Translational Sciences to print eye tissue.
Researchers at Human Methodist Research Institute said it has come up with a more effcient way to create
cells. Called Block Cell Printing, this process allows 100% of the cells to live instead of the 50% to 80%
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that normally survive during the current process. All of this naturally raises questions about the development
of complex organs, so bioprinting is destined to turn into a big debate due to moral, ethical, and political
concerns.
7: Transforming the home
Humans love their home conveniences, and home 3D printers are becoming smaller and more affordable.
MakerBots smallest printer costs just over $1,300. People can print custom jewelry, household goods, toys,
and tools to whatever size, shape, or color they want. They will also be able to print make replacement parts
right at home, rather than ordering them and waiting for them to be shipped. According to research frm
Strategy Analytics, home 3D printing could evolve into a $70 billion industry per year by 2030.
8: Reaching disconnected markets worldwide
Developing countries are often completely disconnected from global supply chains for even the most basic
products, but 3D printing can bring them into the loop. The best example of this is Austin-based startup re:3D,
which had a hugely successful 2013 Kickstarter campaign with Gigabot, an industrial-size, affordable printer
designed to work in developing countries. The company has a localized presence in Latin America, partnering
with StartUp Chile, a Chilean government program that empowers local tech entrepreneurs. The Gigabot will
be used for many of the projects in Chile, like 3D design internships, manufacturing clothing, and experiment-
ing with printing using recyclable materials.
Another way 3D printing can help developing countries is through partnerships with 3D printing researchers.
For instance, many countries in the developing world are in dire need of prosthetic limbs but dont have ac-
cess to the technology or the education required to make their own. A Canadian professor is creating a way to
make a prosthetic limb that is about 80% as good as one that could be made by hand. The lab is sending the
prosthetics to disabled Ugandans.
9: Impacts on the global economy
The 3D printing industry will have far-reaching effects on the global economy. McKinsey Global Institute
released a report earlier this year that said 3D printing will cause major disruptions in the global economy by
2025. The analysis frm predicts it will bring about new product development cycles as the systems become
cheaper. More companies will adopt the technology, and product creation will focus on client feedback
and customer-centered design. The industry is also reducing the cost of entry into markets, allowing niche
businesses to pop up everywhere.
China is already investing in the technology to rival this rapid growth rate in the U.S. and Europe. In June
2013, the country announced a gigantic 3D printer it claimed was the worlds largest at the time, at 1.8
meters in diameter, and there are rumors that it has plans to build even larger ones. Its not clear what
impact the technology will have on the economy yet, but it could give China a competitive edge in domestic
production. Because 3D printing promotes localized production, this will also affect Chinas current large-scale
manufacturing industry.
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10: Intellectual property threats
Sharing 3D printing schematics on websites like Thingiverse and Shapeways seems easy enough, but free
designs are bound to cause issues with intellectual property as 3D printing becomes more mainstream. Most
of the designs are unpatented, so they can be copied repeatedly and sold by anyone. Expensive or designer
objects can also be reverse-engineered or replicated and sold at a cheaper price.
Established companies are already starting to go after users of such sites, arguing that they are infringing on
copyright or violating intellectual property laws. However, most of these designers are building upon original
designs and improving them or localizing products to better suit the needs of people in their area. It will be an
ongoing conversation. The industry will have to fgure out how to make sure large corporations dont squash
entrepreneurs and designers in their fght to protect copyright laws.
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The missing link in 3D printing:
User-friendly software
By Lyndsey Gilpin
The truth of the matter is, 3D printing is cumbersome.
Its diffcult, annoying, and unrealistic for non-
engineers. The humming MakerBots spitting out mini
Yoda heads and brightly colored Cube printers making
textured maps at the Inside 3D Printing Conference in
New York City earlier this year made it look simple, but
thats because engineers and experienced employees
were manning them.
If we step back from the bubble of hype surrounding
3D printing, its obvious there is a gaping hole in
this technology: software. What if 3D printing an
object was as easy as clicking a drop-down menu,
downloading or creating a design, customizing it, and
sending it directly to a printer? Thats the dream, of course. In its current state, the industry isnt there yet.
In her keynote address at the conference, Christine Furstoss, global technology director for GE, discussed this
missing link as the industrys biggest obstacle, but also its biggest opportunity.
It truly is a time for hardware meets software, a time to embrace and bring forward a whole new class of
innovators, Furstoss said.
If the gap between hardware and software is big enough to hold back the manufacturing industry, it will
surely keep entrepreneurs and small businesses (as well as consumers) from being able to use 3D printing in
innovative ways.
Computer-aided design (CAD) software was made for engineers. It allows them to create 2D and 3D represen-
tations of objects and is often used for special effects, animation, and graphic design in many industries. The
major problem with CAD is that to make working parts, the user must know mechanical engineering. Its not
hard to learn the design tool, but if they dont know the correct proportions, ratios, and purpose of that piece
and the ones it works with, the resulting object wont turn out very well. Whats more, the software doesnt
always translate to desktop 3D printers, especially the affordable, lower-quality ones. This can result in mis-
shapen products.
The industry needs user-friendly software. Now that 3D printing is here to stay, companies are attempting to
make desktop 3D printers as simple and compatible as anyones home inkjet printer.
Image: Zack Whittaker
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The problem with desktop [printers] are the prices and the fact they are not user friendly, said Gary Shu,
senior manager of market development for XYZ Printing. There are lots of hiccups and barriers that you have
to overcome. The least we can do for now is make them more user friendly, easier, and bring them down to
consumer-level pricing.
For similar reasons, Autodesk CEO Carl Bass doesnt believe home 3D printing will catch on anytime soon.
Autodesk makes AutoCAD, the most popular 3D printing software.
In his keynote at the conference, Bass said the software trend is moving toward accessibility, but not
ownership, just like every other industry. Think Netfix, Zipcar, and Techshop, he said. People are gravitating
more toward using services and less toward owning the technologies to run them.
It just strikes me as odd to say the thing thats going to go the other direction is consumer 3D printing, Bass
said. What are you going to 3D print? [Designs are] all over the internet, there are models everywhere you can
download.
This maker community that is emerging quickly and strongly is democratizing software with platforms like
Thingiverse and Shapeways, which offer free, open source, downloadable designs. With the rapid evolution of
design software, nontechnical 3D enthusiasts can download a design straight from the web or from the cloud
using some personal 3D printers.
Users can tweak Thingiverse designs with a MakerBot application, though the process is diffcult if the user
doesnt understand or own design software. Whats posted on the website is all that most people have to
work with, and since anyone can upload, the designs arent always reliable.
Enter Adobe, which is trying to solve this problem with the recent addition of 3D printing functionality to
Photoshop. The feature is available with Photoshop version 14.1, a free update for Adobe Creative Cloud
members. In a press conference in January, product manager Andy Lauta said he expects the tool to be used
for fnishing, decreasing the number
of applications needed to get a 3D
model designed and printed.
Users can create a 3D design using
Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop,
using layers to add color, texture, or
words as they would in the original
version. From a menu, users can
choose their material, color, and
price range. Once the design is
fnalized, they can export it as a fle
or print directly to a printer at home.
Image: Lyndsey Gilpin
18
Direct printing is currently compatible with MakerBot and 3D Systems Cube desktop printers. The designs can
also be sent to Shapeways for printing.
It is a fnishing tool, but also a starting tool for people who want to get into 3D printing, said Paul Trani, a
senior cloud evangelist for Adobe at the conference. What we are missing is the content. The content is going
to drive the technology.
However, Adobes new 3D printing tool is targeted to fne artists, graphic designers, and developers who use
Adobe Creative Cloud. Trani said he envisions small businesses using the tool to create signs, swag, and other
products eventually, but the tool isnt meant for the general public for whom Photoshop is too expensive or
unintuitive to use.
This is a small step in the right direction, but the gap is still apparent.
19
3D bioprinting: How it works and
where its headed
By Lyndsey Gilpin
The healthcare industry is trying to capitalize on 3D printing, and fast. From prosthetic limbs and various
surgical devices made with plastics and metals to using cells to print human organs, experiments in this
industry are progressing quickly.
The world of bioprinting is still new and ambiguous. Many of the innovations have been driven either by
companies like Organovo that focus on bioprinting or by specifc researchers at universities, like Dr. Anthony
Atala at Wake Forest.
Confusion has swirled around 3D bioprinting. It can be a diffcult concept to get your head around, and it has
been misconstrued at times. Atala, for instance, was misrepresented in articles about a TED Talk he gave. The
articles said he had printed a functioning human kidney. In reality, it was only a prototype.
To help clear things up, weve compiled a list of 10 things to get you up to speedor to at least help you
fgure outhow bioprinting works and where it is headed in the near future.
1: CT scans can function like a CAD design
Instead of trying to create an organ or tissue model from the ground up, researchers and engineers can use
a CT scan or MRI to create a 3D model to print. For example, the University of Louisville created a 3D printed
model of a young boys heart so doctors could use it for his surgery. The researchers used the CT scan from
his doctor to make the 3D design model. Websites like Instructables even have tutorials to describe how to
turn a CT scan into a 3D printable model.
2: There are multiple types of printers
Bioprinters: Organovo has developed the worlds frst production 3D bioprinter, the NovoGen MMX. The
printer has two robotic print heads. One places human cells and the other places a hydrogel, scaffold, or other
type of support.
Inkjet inspired printers: Experiments with bioprinting at Wake Forest University were inspired by traditional
inkjet printers. This type of printer allows multiple cell types and components to be used for printing. In
early forms of the technology, cells were placed in the actual walls of ink cartridges, and the printers were
programmed to place the cells in a particular order. Today, the university has adapted the technology so that
skin cells can be placed in an ink cartridge and printed directly on a wound.
Six-axis printer: At the University of Louisvilles Cardiovascular Innovation Institute, Dr. Stuart Williams is using
a robot/printer that, instead of building the tissue from the ground up, as traditional 3D printers do, can build
multiple parts of the heart tissue he is making at the same time and move them around accordingly.
20
Weve built a six-axis printer that can print layers but come back and start printing a new layer on the outside
[of the heart], Williams said. The valves are in one spot, and we use a robot to bring the valves in and put
them in parts of the heart.
3: Cells are used like ink
Organovo thoroughly explains the 3D bioprinting process in this video. Basically, once a tissue design is
selected, the company makes bio-ink from the cells. Using a NovoGen MMX bioprinter, the cells are layered
between water-based layers until the tissue is built. That hydrogel in between layers is sometimes used to fll
spaces in the tissue or as supports to the 3D printed tissue. Collagen is another material used to fuse the cells
together. This layer-by-layer approach is similar to the normal 3D printing process, where products are built
from the ground up.
4: Stem cells are also used in bioprinting
Stem cells can adapt easily to tissues, so they are an attractive option for bioprinting different organs and
bones. Researchers at the University of Nottingham in the UK have experimented with building bone replace-
ments coated with stem cells that develop into tissues over time. The researchers are also looking at stem cell
repair for complex tissues, like those that make up the heart or the liver. Its diffcult to use stem cells to build
these organs, but it may be possible with 3D bioprinting.
5: Bioprinting is more complicated than other 3D
printing
Lets explain this process in a bit more detail. In the case of Organovo, a bioprinter is used to create liver
tissue, which is one of the original experiments in bioprinting by the company. Spheroids of parenchymal (or
fundamental) liver cells are loaded into a syringe. Nonparenchymal liver cells and the hydrogel, which fuses
together to create a bio-ink, are loaded in another syringe. The bio-ink makes a mold in the cell dish, and the
liver cells fll up the rest of the dish. When the cells are put in an incubator, they fuse together even more to
form the full liver tissue.
6: Many other materials can be used in bioprinting
Cells dont have to be the end-all, be-all of bioprinting. Many people consider biodegradable or biocompatible
materials that can be used to build body parts or repair damaged ones as an aspect of bioprinting. Printing
materials that can improve bones, cartilage, and skin is just as important for the future of this technology.
Some of the materials include certain types of fexible plastic, like the absorbable one used to make 3D printed
windpipe splints for a baby who had a condition that caused his trachea to collapse, and titanium powder,
which was used to create a jaw implant for a woman who had an infection.
7: 3D printed tissues for pharmaceutical testing
Since the technology is not advanced enough yet to create a full organ, the tissue samples are perfect to test
drugs and other medical advancements. Instead of having to use human beings or animals as guinea pigs for
21
pharmaceutical testing, bioprinting may provide a much more cost-effective and ethical option, while still being
accurate because the tissue samples are made from human cells.
8: Reproducing cells is nothing new
For years, scientists have been growing cells in laboratories, including skin tissue, blood vessels, and other
cell cultures from various organs. Replicating and growing cells in petri dishes is nothing new, and the science
surrounding it is constantly advancing. However, 3D printing offers an opportunity to print an entire organ, not
just pieces of one. It also may drastically reduce the cost of these processes because of the cells and other
materials used.
9: Printing the networks of veins is a large obstacle
Vascularization is a big obstacle in the way of 3D printing organs, because they need to have a system of
arteries, capillaries, and veins that support the system. They must be present to deliver nutrients and remove
waste created by the cells. One option is to leave the space in the 3D printed tissue for veins to be added later
in the process, but researchers are now trying to fgure out a way to print blood vessels as well.
One experiment at the University of Pennsylvania used a RepRap printer to make templates of blood vessel
networks out of sugar. When they dissolved, the sugar was washed out without harming the cells and the
space for the blood vessels remained. Researchers at Harvard have also started working on this issue, but
they are trying to 3D print the blood vessels themselves by integrating them with skin cells.
10: The body can reject the 3D printed cells
In any transplant or surgery, there is always the risk of the body rejecting the organ or cells. This can even
occur when tissue from one area of the body is put into another area of the body. The organ (or piece
of tissue) also has to have time to integrate into the body after the implant. Since the technology for 3D
bioprinting is so new, doctors and engineers have not even gotten to this point yetbut its important to
recognize these risks well in advance.
22
10 things you should know about the
dark side of 3D printing
By Lyndsey Gilpin
As with any new technology, its easy to get swept up in the benefts of 3D printing. It opens up a world of new
possibilities for all industries and stands to lessen transportation costs, environmental impacts, waste, and
reliance on corporations by enabling the Maker Movement.
But 3D printers are still potentially hazardous, wasteful machines, and their societal, political, economic, and
environmental effects have not yet been studied extensively. To make sure you arent thrown off guard by the
conversations that will inevitably come, weve compiled a list of things you need to know about the dangers
and potentially negative impacts of 3D printers.
1: Energy hogs
When melting plastic with heat or lasers, 3D printers consume about 50 to 100 times more electrical
energy than injection molding to make an item of the same weight, according to research by Loughborough
University. In 2009, research at MITs Environmentally Benign Manufacturing program showed that laser
direct metal deposition (where metal powder is fused together) used hundreds of times more electricity than
traditional casting or machining. Because of this, 3D printers are better for small batch runs. Industrial-size 3D
printers may not be the answer to lessening our use of coal power any time soon.
2: Unhealthy air emissions
3D printers may pose a health risk when used in the home, according to researchers at the Illinois Institute
of Technology. The emissions from desktop 3D printers are similar to burning a cigarette or cooking on a gas
or electric stove. The 2013 study was the frst to measure these airborne particle emissions from desktop 3D
printers. While heating the plastic and printing small fgures, the machines using PLA flament emitted 20 billion
ultrafne particles per minute, and the ABS emitted up to 200 billion particles per minute. These particles can
settle in the lungs or the bloodstream and pose health risk, especially for those with asthma.
3: Reliance on plastics
One of the biggest environmental movements in recent history has been to reduce reliance on plastics, from
grocery bags to water bottles to household objects that can be made from recycled materials instead. The
most popularand cheapest3D printers use plastic flament. Though using raw materials reduces the
amount of waste in general, the machines still leave unused or excess plastic in the print beds. PLA is biode-
gradable, but ABS flament is still the most commonly used type of plastic. The plastic byproduct ends up in
landflls. If 3D printing is going to be industrialized, that byproduct or other recycled plastic needs to be reused.
4: IP and licensing deals
In January, 3D Systems acquired Gentle Giant Ltd., which owned the licensing rights to toy franchises such
as The Hobbit, The Walking Dead, Harry Potter, Alien, and Star Wars. Gartner has said that companies may
23
lose at least $100 billion in four years to licensing or IP owners. 3D printing will change the business market
and the black market for these itemsand the legislation will have to rush to catch up. This potential digital
piracy situation is comparable to the way the internet challenged the movie and music industries for copy-
rights, trademarks, and illegal downloads.
5: Gun control loopholes
The frst successful 3D-printed gun is old news, but its ramifcations are important. Companies are popping
up around the world attempting to sell these guns and/or the CAD designs for them. Engineering frm Solid
Concepts has even fred rounds out of the frst 3D-printed metal gun. Congress Undetectable Firearms Act
[PDF], which bans guns that cant be detected by metal detectors or x-ray scanners, was renewed for 10
years. It left a loophole in the law, however: 3D-printed guns with a tiny piece of metal arent banned by the
Act. Congress ignored the issue for quite some time, but legislators are attempting to close that loophole now
with special requirements for printed guns.
6: Responsibility of manufacturers
Weapons can be 3D-printed. So can safety equipment, such as helmets, wheels for bikes, and toys for small
children. Of course, there is the issue of intellectual property and trademarks, but the larger issue involves
responsibility. If a person shoots a gun and harms or kills someone, stabs someone with a 3D-printed knife, or
breaks his or her neck while riding on a bike with a 3D-printed helmet, who is held accountable? The owner
of the printer, the manufacturer of the printer, or the irresponsible person who thought it was a good idea to
produce and use an untested product?
7: Bioprinting ethics and regulation
The conversations about the ethics of bioprinting have already begun. Organovo is printing liver cells as well as
eye tissue cells in a partnership with the National Eye Institute and National Center for Advancing Translational
Sciences. Scientists have also proposed mixing human stem cells with canine muscle cells to create enhanced
organ tissue. Printing cartilage is still the most realistic type of bioprinting, and printing whole organs is still
many years away, but 3D printing is growing in medicine quite rapidly. Conversations about the moral, ethical,
and legal issues surrounding bioprinting have started, but they will inevitably cause a lot more controversy as it
becomes more commonplace.
8: Possibility of 3D-printed drugs
Assembling chemical compounds on a molecular level using a 3D printer is possible. A researcher at the
University of Glasgow created a prototype of a 3D Chemputer that makes drugs and medicine. He wants
to revolutionize the pharmaceutical industry by allowing patients to print their own medicine with a chemical
blueprint they get from the pharmacy. Of course, this is a long way off, but it stands to enable DIY chemists to
create anything from cocaine to ricin.
24
9: National security risks
A white paper released from the National Defense University highlighted national security risks from 3D-printing
technology. Since there will be signifcant legal and economic implications for the business sector, and 3D
printers offer the ability to produce a wide range of objects that cant be controlled yet, the paper noted that
there are defnitely national security risks that need to be analyzed in the near future.
10: Safety of items that come into contact with food
You can print a fork or spoon with your MakerBot, but if you use ABS plastic, it is not BPA-free. New flaments
that are safer to put in your mouth are being created for this specifc reason, but they arent widely available
yet. In addition, many 3D printers have spaces where bacteria can easily grow if they arent cleaned properly.
To more safely produce 3D-printed food and kitchenware, an FDA-approved machine may be needed. People
probably dont want to eat genetically engineered pizza off toxic plates.
25
Scientists are 3D printing a human
heart that will work better than yours
By Lyndsey Gilpin
Imagine your beating, pumping heart, working hard right this moment to keep you alive. Now think of a future
where, if your heart failed or has a defect, you could get one that works better and lasts longer.
It sounds like something out of a sci-f movie, but researchers at the University of Louisville have moved a
step closer in this direction by using a 3D printer to make working parts of a human heart, using fat cells and
collagen.
We are utilizing printing and other biological manufacturing techniques to build these different parts of
the heart, Dr. Stuart Williams told TechRepublic. Williams is the chief of the Biofcial Heart program at the
University of Louisvilles Cardiovascular Innovation Institute in Louisville, KY.
He added that the team has not reached the point of putting together the valves and the blood vessels, or any
other products. They are solely focused on creating working pieces of the muscle.
Williams described the process as similar to building an airplane. Airplanes arent built in the traditional 3D
printing sense, where you would start with the wheels at the bottom and build up. The parts for an airplane are
made piece by piece, then assembled.
Same with a human heart, which is a complex muscle. It cant be built at once, so each partthe valves, large
blood vessels, small blood vessels, electrical conducting systemis built and assembled with a giant, intricate
3D printer.
To print the heart, Williams and his team use collagen and fat cells. One liter of fat from someone can give
them a huge number of cells that can be directly translated to patients, he said.
[We are] taking a piece of fat, isolating regenerative cells in the fat, utilizing those, then mixing factorized cells
with collagen, and it prints.
Whats even more innovative is the six-axis printer Williams helped build that makes the heart one section
at a time. This robot can build the specifc parts, then move them around and place them in their correct
positions within the muscle.
The University of Louisville lab is the only one in the world that has a 3D printer this intricate, made specifcally
for bioprinting. Williams calls it a bioassembly tool.
Williams came to the University of Louisville in 2007 after spending many years at the University of Arizona,
where he founded the biomedical engineering program. Three years ago, he teamed up with Advanced
Solutions, also based in Louisville, and noodled up the idea of 3D printing a working human heart.
26
Bioprinting has developed into a hot topic recently, with companies
like Organovo making liver and eye tissues using 3D printers, so
competition to be the most innovative in the feld is building quickly.
I always say were all sort of in this together, Williams said. The real
competition is [heart] disease and this process.
There is an urgent clinical pull in this feldthat is, what the doctors
and other healthcare providers need. Luckily, it is working with this
huge leap forward in technology right now, and everything in this
industry is happening rapidly.
Thats what is unique about the group in Louisville. We are identify-
ing what the real short term needs are and designing the answers for
bioprinting, he said.
Earlier this year, researchers at the University of Louisville built a 3D printed model of a toddlers heart so doc-
tors could better analyze and treat his condition. The project and surgery were successful. In other areas of the
university, like the Cardiovascular Institute, researchers are pushing the limits even further. Right now, Williams
and his team are working on many bioprinting projects for the cardiovascular system. Williams has looked at
the pancreas, which could be made to better work for diabetics, as well as kidney tissue and bone tissue that
could be replaced if a patient is sick or injured.
Interestingly enough, the heart is much easier to print than any other part of the body, Williams said.
The heart is a bag of muscles and blood vessels and an electrical system, he said, comparing it to a hand
a more diffcult undertaking, since it would require making specifc nerves and joints.
The lab has also created a patch for a human heart, which he thinks will be in some of the earliest bioprinting
clinical trials for humans. Instead of replacing the entire heart, this patch can mend the part that doesnt work.
It would be especially important for pediatric patients, because it would grow with them, unlike plastic or metal
pieces currently in use.
The ultimate goal for Williams is much bigger. He believes a fully functional human heart that beats, pumps
blood, and keeps us alive for even longer is very possible. Extra blood vessels that would act as backup
systems if one clogs or fails is one example of creating that type of muscle, he said.
We are rethinking what the best design is for the heart and putting that into a computer, Williams said. What
happens if we build a heart basically resistant to problems that can take place?
Thats what is
unique about the
group in Louisville.
We are identifying
what the real short
term needs are
and designing
the answers for
bioprinting.
Dr. Stuart Williams
27
GE: 3D printing is revolutionizing
traditional manufacturing
By Zach Whittaker
Its not every day you get a 20-year-old student outsmarting some of General Electrics greatest minds and
designers.
According to GEs general manager for technology Christine Furstoss, the unnamed Indonesian student
helped General Electric save considerable sums of money in development and manufacturing costs by
designing a critical aircraft part that was 83% lighter and yet still met the safety and design criteria.
And thats all thanks to 3D printing. While it may be todays buzzword, in
reality its just a fraction of the overall manufacturing processand Gen-
eral Electric wants to lead the way. But it can do that only by embracing
change and the desire to learn.
Furstoss told attendees at the Inside 3D Printing conference in New
York in April that the maker movement is revolutionizing how traditional
manufacturers look at their own design and building processesshowing
everyone how anything can be developed and built in a fraction of the time.
The Fairfeld, CT-headquartered conglomerate has been pushing hard in
the 3D printing and next-generation manufacturing space. In 2012, GE
Aviation was formed from the acquisition of Morris Technologies, as the
company wanted to learn more about additive manufacturing. And it built its own Rapid Prototyping Center in
Louisville, KY, in July 2013, which has helped the company generate quick and easy feedback in the develop-
ment process and reduce costs by 80% on average overall.
But Furstoss admitted that the companyand otherscan and should be doing more.
Additive manufacturing is not just another way to produce parts. Its a way to change how I work. Its a way to
say, I can introduce products faster than ever before. Why? Because additive manufacturing gives me the op-
portunity to conduct faster prototyping. And its also about learning and gathering data. And I can also make
tooling that can use more conventional manufacturing.
In simple terms, the design and drawing processes are accelerated because the prototype design can be
printed sooner rather than later. That allows designers to go back to their designs and modify at will. Ulti-
mately, that makes the manufacturing process quicker, so innovative new designs can be kicked out the door
signifcantly faster than other traditional businesses. And that makes the market more competitive.
GE continues to learn about the capabilities and advantages 3D printing has to offer. It has invested in
more than 300 3D printers across the company, which has helped it learn how to develop the more diffcult
GE continues
to learn about
the capabilities
and advantages
3D printing has
to offer. It has
invested in more
than 300 3D
printers across
the company.
28
or traditionally expensive parts for aviation, oil and gas, healthcare, and other businesses the frm has
investments in.
Furstoss said that by 2020, GE aims to print more than 100,000 parts for aviation. In the meantime, the
company continues to focus on transforming its repair processes for industrial components.
3D printing is not just used to prototype. But its really important for us to use this technology to innovate and
create products that could not be made in any other way, she said. This is the opportunity we cant waste.
Its about ecosystems and learning, and we need to fgure out what our role is, and if we are investing as much
as we should be.
29
How recycled plastic for 3D printing
will drive sustainability and improve
social consciousness
By Lyndsey Gilpin
Durable, shiny, new plasticits what makes most 3D printers run. And as 3D printing grows in popularity
and we begin to scale projects in every industry, the world is going to use a lot more of it. If the industry goal
is to have 3D printers in most homes and businesses, with lots of other 3D printers running constantly in
manufacturing centers, well add even more to the 33.6 million tons of plastic Americans toss each year, only
6.5% of which is recycled. Its estimated that 100 million tons of plastic is foating in the worlds oceans. Each
piece can take anywhere from 500 to 1,000 years to decompose.
Within those piles of plastic waste lies an opportunity for the expanding 3D printing industry. Instead of melting
new plastic to create 3D printed products, some companies are seizing the chance to build more sustainable,
cost-effective, socially responsible ways of dealing with the looming demand for raw plastic.
Using recycled plastic in 3D printers can help create jobs, open new markets, and even change the cycle of
poverty in some cases.
The evolution of plastic flament
Traditional 3D printers (the type consumers buy) use acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or polylactic acid
(PLA) plastic. ABS is oil-based, with a much higher melting point and toxic fumes that are released when the
printer is running. PLA flament is corn-based. Its often used for packaging, as it is biodegradable and less
harmful to the environment if it is recycled. What most people dont realize, however, is that high density poly-
ethylene (HDPE) plasticwhich makes up most of what is foating in our oceans and piling in landfllscan
also work in the printers if it is simply turned into flament and wrapped around spools.
Joshua Pearce and his team of researchers at Michigan Technological University have been working on open
source, environmentally friendly 3D printers for years. Last year, they created the Recyclebot, which turns
waste plastic into 3D printer feedstock using the RepRap model, a self-replicating 3D printer. The newest
version of the printer Pearce created takes a third of the time to assemble and cuts 20% of the cost, making it
less than $500 in parts. The open source design allows people to build upon the technology themselves, and
Pearce believes the idea of a Recyclebot will catch on because it allows people to utilize all their household
resources to make things.
There are large environmental savings when you use recycled plastic. However, the main reason people will
want to use recycled flament is the cost, Pearce said. Commercial plastic flament costs about $35/kg or
moreif you make it yourself with a Recyclebot the cost drops to only 10 cents per kilogram for the electricity
to run it.
30
The Recyclebot uses a windshield wiper motor to push shredded
plastic containers, like milk jugs, into a heated pipe, where the plastic
is melted and formed into a long strand of plastic spaghetti. Its
wound up with a spooler, like the open source Filawinder, then fed
from the spool into the 3-D printer. The plans are open source so you
can make one yourself or buy one from companies making different
kinds of Recyclebot flament extruders, like Filabot and FilaFab. The
spoolers can be purchased online, as can RepRap fully assembled
printers that work with recycled plastic flament. The designs to create
and build your own printer are free.
The team is now working on printing solar-powered equipment, a
Recyclebot for recycled metal materials, and cheaper, more effcient
RepRap designs. But Pearces real mission has to do with something
much larger.
I think open source 3D printing can do a lot to bring us all incredible
wealth, he said. It can help everyone in both the developing and developed world alike to print themselves
out of poverty.
Creating opportunities with plastic waste
About 15 million waste pickers worldwide collect, sort, and process recycled materials. More often than not,
they live in extreme poverty, making up some of the most disadvantaged communities on the planet. The
Ethical Filament Foundation was created to address this problem and to create a fair trade standard and
certifcation process [PDF] for the 3D printer flament industry.
Putting this to work is Protoprint, the frst fair trade flament company, based in Pune, India. The Protoprint
team recycles HDPE plastic, which is used to make water bottles and other common items, since it is abun-
dantly available and non-biodegradable.
Waste pickers in India are part of a low socio-economic class that sorts through unsegregated garbage
dumps, separating plastic waste from organic waste. About two million waste pickers in the country sell the
waste to scrap dealers for as little as $0.15 per kilogram and often make less than a dollar a day doing it.
Even though they form the backbone of the Indian recycling industry, these individuals are often marginalized
by society. Thats the problem, said CEO Sidhant Pai, a recent environmental engineering graduate from MIT.
Pai is working with a waste picker cooperative called SWaCH, setting up a pilot flament lab facility at a gar-
bage dump, and he wants to launch commercially later this summer.
By converting the plastic waste they collect to 3D printer flament, they add value to it, he said, earning at least
15 times more for the same amount of plastic.
About 15 million
waste pickers
worldwide collect,
sort, and process
recycled materials.
More often than not,
they live in extreme
poverty, making up
some of the most
disadvantaged
communities on the
planet.
31
In addition to the economic beneft, the technology empowers them sociallymaking these hard working
individuals micro-entrepreneurs, in charge of their destiny, Pai said. At the local level, Protoprint is providing
academic institutions in India with low-cost flament to increase the adoption of 3D printing into the curriculum.
Protoprint plastic can be purchased in bulk or for individual fused deposition modeling (FDM) printers, and the
company also sells functioning 3D printers.
Society does not fully value plastic. Thats the idea behind the Plastic Bank, which calls for harvesting and
repurposing plastic, turning it into a valuable currency. The plastic can be exchanged as 3D printing materi-
als, tools, and household parts. The company ran a successful Indiegogo campaign last year, and plans to
open the frst Plastic Bank in Lima, Peru. The company is encouraging a social plastic movement by asking
corporations to sign a petition to mobilize more responsible use of plastic waste. 3D printing offers the ideal
outlet for that waste.
I believe that organizations like ours could push the 3D printing industry towards a sustainable and environ-
mentally friendly future, effectively recycling waste plastic as opposed to simply generating more, Pai said.
There have been a number of studies that show recycling plastic is signifcantly better for the environment
and, while were only a drop in the ocean, I believe it is a step in the right direction.
32
3D Systems CEO offers a vision of
3D Printing 2.0
By Lyndsey Gilpin
The 3D printing industry is entering version 2.0, which will transform and localize manufacturing, according to
Avi Reichental, president and CEO of 3D Systems. Reichental gave the keynote address at the second annual
Inside 3D Printing Conference and Expo in New York City earlier this year.
What we mean by 3D printing 2.0 is the complete imagination of the desktop and democratization of desktop
prototyping, and the beginning of real mass manufacturing, he said. And here I am talking about making
tens of thousands of units a day using sophisticated and mutliple materials. The third leg is cloud sourcing
platform capabilities.
3D Systems introduced its 3D Printing 2.0 capabilities, which are specifcally designed for engineers desktops
and the production foor in manufacturing. It increases reliability, performance, material utilization, and
sustainability, Reichental said.
At the conference, 3D Systems showcased:
First professional full-color plastic 3D printer
Multi-materials 3D printer
Laser direct metal printers
Its latest consumer grade 3D printer, the third generation Cube, which is under $1,000
3D Systems manufactures stereolithography (SLA), selective laser sintering (SLS), and fused deposition model-
ing (FDM) systems for professional and consumer use. It has 1,700 patents and 120 material sets and seven
machine engines, according to Reichental, who has been CEO since 2003.
We are focused on democratizing access to this technology, moving to the factory foor, and to the desktop,
and to the home in ways that will make it meaningful, productive, impactful and advance our ability to create
and make, he said. There is at least a 30 plus billion dollar opportunity here when we look at this entire digital
thread.
The company recently announced several partnerships, including one with Hasbro to co-develop immersive
play experiences for children and another with Hershey, to develop 3D printed chocolate candy. 3D Systems
has already been experimenting with its ChefJet, which makes sugary confections. The company recently
bought Medical Modeling, a provider of personalized surgical treatments and patient-specifc medical tools
that use 3D modeling. And it has partnered with Google to develop a 3D printer designed to produce smart-
phones.
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Reichental sees increased drive for effciency and sustainability, as well as shorter product cycles, which all
contribute to the excitement surrounding 3D printing. He said 3D printing is transforming many industries,
including aerospace, automotive, healthcare, and even startups.
But even though these partnerships and acquisitions have made 3D Systems the leader in the printing space,
HP is on its tail.
In March, HP CEO Meg Whitman announced that the company is planning to enter the 3D printing space by
the end of this fscal year. Whitman said in the announcement that HP has solved the speed and quality issues
with current 3D printing technologies.
HPs entrance into the 3D printing arena is clearly pushing 3D Systems to innovate and assert its current place
in the market. Whoever ends up the leader, 3D printing is one of the hottest segments of the tech sector.
It is ushering in a new kind of industrial renaissance, one that is about localized, digital craftsmanship,
Reichental said.
34
The mad scientists of 3D printing: How
MadeSolid is remixing the formula
By Conner Forrest
Two lawyers and a HR manager walk into an elevator.
In a corporate offce building in Emeryville, CA, they are joined by young startup founders wheeling a
500-pound chemical drum behind them.
The chemical peddlers destination is the ffth foor, where an offce and a laboratory host the remainder of their
team. Theyre delivering chemicals that they hope will change the world.
In the lab, a young chemist leans over a petri dish, shining a pen-size laser into a puddle of blue resin. After he
completes his movements with the laser, he pulls a newly solid object out of the goo. He seems pleased.
Another scientist walks by in her tie-dye lab coat, taking notes as a mechanical box melts plastic in a spe-
cifc pattern. At the end of the room, microcrystalline cellulose is mixed with other chemical compounds in a
beaker. While the work seems academic and somber, employees are smiling and joking, genuinely enthusiastic
about what theyre doing.
This is MadeSolid, a chemical manufacturing company that is planning to fx what it considers the number one
thing thats wrong with 3D printing: shoddy materials.
The startup, located across the bay from San Francisco and just outside Oakland, is an alumnus of the Y
Combinator accelerator and is staffed by employees from a wide variety of backgrounds. Instead of the tradi-
tional startup uniform of t-shirts and designer jeans, they wear lab coats and safety goggles.
Image: James Martin
35
3D printing is exploding in popularity. According to Canalys, the market
for 3D printing services and materials will grow from $2.5 billion in 2014
to $10.8 billion in 2018. If MadeSolid can satisfy this growing demand
with a superior product, it will have the opportunity to play a key role
in the transition of 3D printing from a commodity product to a serious
consumer and business tool.
Starting the journey
MadeSolid CEO Lance Pickens got his start with 3D printing by making
prints that were right in line with his chemistry PhD at the University of
Southern California.
At the time I was interested in taking these molecular structures that scientists had created from
crystallographic data from the protein databank, and I wrote some software that would transform it into this fle
structure that was capable of being 3D printed, he said.
Pickens spent about a year writing that software and developing the business that would end up printing these
structures. He launched the company in May 2012 at Maker Faire and received a ton of new orders.
I noticed that, as the complexity of the molecules went up, the failure rate was going up, to the point where
the service bureaus werent able to actually meet my needs, he said. I just completely stopped. I shut the
company down.
This led him to ask one question.
What the hell is the problem?
The problem, it turns out, was the materials being used at the time. According to Pickens, the state of the
art at the time was spraying super glue onto drywall, calcium sulfate. So he began rebooting his chemistry
background at a hackerspace to see if he could fx the problem, and the seed for MadeSolid was planted.
He began frantically trying to source chemicals, looking everywhere from local ceramics supply stores to eBay.
He discovered that the words hacker and chemist were not a combination that inspired trust and understand-
ing from chemical suppliers. Some of the chemicals, especially the ones ordered on eBay, were shipped to
him in plastic-zippered bags with handwritten labels.
It was absolutely breathtakingly diffcult in the beginning to get chemicals, he said.
It was around this time that Pickens met co-founder David Rorex and the pair decided to build their own 3D
printer. The company incorporated in January 2013 and initially operated as a service bureau (the companies
that print things for other people). After a few months they started to realize that they couldnt change the
world by printing other peoples stuff, but they could with better materials. So they decided to discontinue
operations as a service bureau and go directly to the public with materials.
It was absolutely
breathtakingly
difcult in the
beginning to get
chemicals.
Lance Pickens
36
Brian Martinez later joined as a co-founder, quickly seeing the value in building better materials for 3D printing.
All the 3D printer manufacturers are making small changes to the way the printer works, Martinez said.
Theyre making it slightly faster or making it so it can handle a slight bit more heat. But changing the mate-
rial you put into it or developing new, more advanced materials is really whats going to drastically alter what
youre able to produce.
The group moved into a dingy warehouse in Oakland that they shared with food startup Soylent. After some
early success, they decided to shoot for the moon and apply to Y Combinator. According to Pickens, they
believed they had a snowballs chance in hell to make it inbut they did.
Approaching the product
The MadeSolid team usually begins the day with a quick gathering to discuss the problems they are working
on or the roadblocks they are running into.
The lab team starts with a set of properties it wants to achieve in the chemical mixtures, and they work on
achieving those levels. Pickens said that they will typically spend six to seven hours working on chemicals in
the lab, followed by one to two hours of testing. All this happens in parallel, in the aggregate. So some chem-
ists are working on chemicals as others are testing. They spend a lot of time testing, which Pickens said is the
most important part.
Ultimately, you have to print it. All theory goes out the window when its time to do the real world stuff. You
have to test it, Pickens said.
All the co-founders have a software background, which plays into the way they approach product develop-
ment at MadeSolid. They see chemical research and development (R&D) through a lens thats similar to how
software developers see iterations of their product.
Image: James Martin
37
During YC we launched a product that was good, but not good enough, Pickens said. We realized, Oh
shit, we have to do something about this. So, we started mulling over the idea of well, if this was software we
could patch it. You release an update, you download it, and it works. And then we thought, Well, maybe we
could do that too.
So, we fgured out what the problem was. We fgured out that as long as they had this particular volume that
they hadnt used, we could come up with a patch kit where they would mix in this little vial of chemical with a
little holder to put it in. Shake it up and then, after an hour so, it would be ready to go, and they would have
the upgraded version of the resin. We launched it and all the users who had the patch kit were pretty happy
that we were able to do that. We think we might have released the frst chemical patch in history, [but] were
not sure.
The majority of popular 3D printers typically use one of three methods: fused deposition modeling (FDM),
stereolithography apparatus (SLA), or selective laser sintering (SLS). FDM is what most people think of when
they hear of 3D printingthe MakerBot-style machine that melts a line of plastic flament that looks like weed
whacker line reflls. SLA uses a UV laser to cause a reaction with a resin, turning it into a solid. SLS shoots a
laser into a powdered material, typically metal, and turns it into a solid.
MadeSolid currently offers three materials for 3D printing:
PET+ Filament (FDM)
MS Resin (SLA)
FireCast Resin (SLA)
When it comes to FDM, most materials offerings are either polylactic acid (PLA), a compostable plastic used
in some plastic utensils, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), the type of plastic used to make Lego bricks.
MadeSolids PET+ material is more fexible than PLA and ABS, doesnt shrink as much, is more heat resistant,
and is 100% recyclable. MadeSolid put together this test video to show it off.
They have developed a fantastic product that provides the advantages of PLA (biodegradable, not petroleum
based, ease of print) with the advantages that kept me using ABS (strength) and some of the properties of
Nylon (fexibility) without the diffculty of use, said Odie, a MadeSolid customer.
While it does produce and sell a lot of its PET+ product, MadeSolid focuses most of its time on developing
its resins. Its MS Resin is a UV curable photopolymer suitable for SLA style printing of a fnished product. Its
FireCast Resin is also for SLA printing but is specifcally brewed for investment casting, meaning it can be used
to print molds to be flled with metal to create jewelry or machine parts.
We use their products for all types of uses, said Bobby Lambright, one of the co-founders of Elite
Imageworks Corp. and the designer of the Deep Imager 5 3D Printer. We use them for prototyping
mechanical parts because of the very low shrinkage. We also use it to produce 3D prints for the jewelry
industries because of the ability to produce very high resolution prints; and the repeatability is excellent.
38
As far as Pickens can tell, MadeSolid has about 300 to 400 customers that it sells to directly. The total
number of customers is diffcult to pin down, as MadeSolid works with Amazon and another reseller market
to distribute its products. One of the most interesting statistics is that more than 30% of its sales are
international.
Surprisingly, China is one our largest customers for our resin product, Pickens said. They dont order by the
bottle, they want to order by the drum. For us, I never dreamed that we would be in a situation where its 2014
and we are an exporter to China for 3D printing.
Pickens said that it seems like 3D printing is almost growing faster in China than the US, and he wouldnt be
surprised if China overtakes the US as one of the top countries for innovation in 3D printing. He also noted
that there is a huge market for 3D printing in Europe, especially Germany and Scandinavia.
MadeSolid is in a unique situation in a growing market, but 3D printing still has miles to go before it becomes a
household consumer tool.
Managing expectations
3D printing has the potential to change many aspects of the global economy. For example, starting a business
requires a lot of capital, but 3D printing can help lower the capital requirement by making it easier to prototype
or print a frst run of a product.
Martinez said he believes 3D printing is capable of changing the economics of lower-income regions, espe-
cially if they dont have access to big manufacturing systems. It will also allow for customization of items that
currently cant be customized, such as shoe midsoles for feet that arent exactly the same size, custom ft
Image: James Martin
39
orthotics, casts for broken bones, glasses frames, and bodily implants.
While the potential for 3D printing is huge, quite a few issues are still holding it back from mass adoption. Ac-
cording to Martinez, outside of the materials problem, three main issues are facing 3D printing today:
People dont trust printers.
It requires complicated CAD software.
Theres a lack of imagination.
Consider the 1999 comedy flm Offce Space. In the movie, the character Michael Bolton has a long-running
frustration with the company printer as it constantly presents him with the error PC Load Letter. After battling
with the machine for most of the flm, Bolton and his colleagues take a baseball bat to the printer in an open
feld as the Geto Boys song Damn It Feels Good To Be A Gangsta plays in the background.
Think of the jokes about how often standard paper printers fail. Those printers fail all the time, and they have
been around for decades. Now imagine that you are printing a three-dimensional model that has to work when
it is fnished to keep your operation afoat. Right now, there isnt enough trust in the technology to consistently
produce a working product.
What I see happening currently in the consumer space is that when we go to a CES show or a maker fair
and people come up and they grab the prints, the frst thing that they try to do naturally is break the prints,
Martinez said. This doesnt happen in any other industry, I dont think. No one goes to the new iPhone booth
and starts slamming the iPhone on the desk, or throwing it against the wall to see when it will break.
There is a general perception that 3D printing doesnt produce functional items, such as working cogs for a
machine. So when people are shown 3D printed products that are functional, it begins to change their percep-
tion about what 3D printing can accomplish.
There are also problems on the manufacturing side. Pickens said that 3D printing is full of companies making
grand claims in their marketing materials that their products cant live up to. Some people are just importing
plastic flaments from China and reselling it with a new label. MadeSolid often buys and tests its competitors
products to see how its own products match up, and that has led to some interesting results.
When MadeSolid frst started, the team wanted to work on some photopolymers to make lenses, and they
needed something that would end up clear. They purchased a competing product and tried it out.
We got some of our competitors material, because they said it was transparent, or clear, Pickens said. It
says it right on the bottle. We printed with it on our machine and tried it on a couple machines we bought and
none of the prints were clear. They were yellow, like safety glass yellow. So we were like, What the hell?
We printed out two identical lenses. One in that material and one in our material, and put them on top of this
photograph and took a picture of it. You could see that ours was completely transparent and theirs was yellow.
Then we posted it online, and our competitor, they got a bit pissed off. We think theyre still angry because of
40
that, but they changed their label to say uncolored instead of clear as a result of that particular incident. We
just want people to be honest in what their product does.
Pickens wants MadeSolid to under-promise and over-deliver, and not the other way around.
In addition to competing with cheap, re-labeled plastics, companies like MadeSolid are having to battle
misconceptions perpetuated by the way 3D printing is marketed and written about. To a certain degree,
people expect 3D printing to be a clean process. Some consumers dont understand that it is a manufacturing
process and that burning plastic will still stink up their house.
Manufacturing is dirty, and people are basically doing manufacturing in their house; but there is a discon-
nect, Martinez said. They think that this form of manufacturing should be way cleaner than the other forms of
manufacturing, which is partially true, but youre still doing manufacturing.
3D printing often requires cleaning up afterward, but most people arent aware of it. When you do SLA
printing, you have to clean liquid off of a fnished print. With SLS printing, powder must be blown off of
powder-based prints.
Another misconception that Pickens has noticed is that many people see 3D printing as further along in devel-
opment than it currently is.
One of my friends played a prank on a guest over at his house, Pickens said. What he did is he took a
MakerBot and he started printing a bowl. He left with the guest and then, while he was gone, he had one of
his friend switch it with an already printed bowl that was flled up with milk and cereal. The friend comes back
in, and the guest completely believed that it could print that.
The fact people think that we are already at that age of Star Trek replicator technology is not very helpful to
the feld, because people are going to be let down. Were not there yet, and theres a lot of work that needs to
be done.
For that work to be done, it will take effort
from the 3D printing manufacturers, the
material producers, and the 3D printing
advocatesand Pickens wants MadeSolid to
lead the charge on the materials side.
Were focused on functional materials, he
said. We want a future where everything is
printed and were, essentially, one of the few
companies thats doing the heavy lifting in the
feld to make that happen.
Image: James Martin

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