From progressive art to prosthetic limbs, 3D printing is being applied in surprising and creative ways. While two trends – falling prices and expiring trends – are supporting the technology’s spread, it poses no threat to mainstream manufacturing methods. This is evolution at the edge, not revolution at the core.
Back in the 1980s, 3D printing started as a production alternative for the creation of prototypes in various manufacturing facilities. Today, 3D printing technology is still used primarily for prototyping and distributed manufacturing, but we are seeing valuable new applications in construction, architecture, industrial design, the automotive industry, aerospace and many other fields. In light of such promising developments, IDC expects worldwide shipments of 3D printers to rocket to a remarkable 283,435 units in 2017 from just 22,542 units in 2012.
So where does the future of this seemingly boundless technology lie? For a start, its ability to produce exact models of future products at significantly lower costs than conventional prototyping methods ensures that this particular line of use will continue to develop. When it comes to mass production, however, 3D printing poses no threat to modern manufacturing models. First, 3D printing remains a time-consuming operation; based on the quality and size of a given model, the printing time can range from several hours to several days. Second, unit production costs remain constant and are much higher than in the case of mass production.
But the applications of 3D printing in manufacturing are not aimed at competing with current production models; rather they are designed as complementary technologies that can help to drive efficiencies in product development, machine maintenance and the supply of spare parts, among other areas. Leading manufacturing companies, for example, will soon begin to realise the benefits involved in being able to independently print their own unique parts, thereby reducing the need to outsource. Such an approach can improve lead times and quality (thanks to the precise adjusting of printing parameters), reduce the complexity of the manufacturing process, and speed up the delivery of the end product to the customer. Simply put, 3D printing brings with it a whole new wave of flexibility and efficiency advantages for various manufacturing industries.
We have already seen numerous interesting uses for 3D printing, and many of the companies that are now leveraging this technology are focused on developing unique and, in many respects, creative ways of designing 3D print applications. In addition, several progressive artists such as Ioan Florea and Nick Ervinck have demonstrated the magic of 3D printing through their artistic works, while there have also been well-documented cases of the technology being used to develop prosthetic limbs for amputees in Africa. And as the originality of product design plays a hugely significant role in differentiating commercial products in the marketplace, the technology deserves to be more deeply explored by manufacturers.
The 3D printing process starts well before the 3D printer is actually used. 3D modelling tools are essential in the design phase, and companies must carefully choose and master these tools before they are in a position to develop the applicable models. In terms of skills, the efficient use of 3D printing in manufacturing is a long-term process that involves a lot of engineering and testing. However, once these advanced capabilities have been developed, the results can be easily transferred and the models can immediately be printed anywhere in the world.
The increasing popularity of 3D printing is also supported by the fact that the price of these machines is decreasing (from the range of tens of thousands of dollars, to just thousands of dollars), and smaller models for home use are appearing on the market, such as Micro 3D Printer from M3D (financed by Kickstarter, the price starts as low as US$349).
The range of materials available for 3D printing is also developing dynamically, and already includes many types of plastic, foam, metal, wood, glass and paper.
Nevertheless, IDC believes that a focus on discovering new applications for 3D printing and developing internal design capabilities are the most viable long-term strategies for leveraging this technology. Investing in the ownership of expensive, top-notch 3D printers can easily be offset by outsourcing the printing process to a locally established third party. This is a crucial consideration, because exorbitant hardware costs can still destroy many otherwise valuable business cases.
Another key driver of the market’s growth came in February with the expiration of various long-standing patents that prevented competition in the market for the most sophisticated and functional 3D printers. These patents included a technology known as laser sintering, which boasts such high resolutions that it can create goods that can be sold as finished products. As key patents continue to expire, IDC expects a significant drop in the price of such devices, which is exactly what happened when key patents on a more basic form of 3D printing – known as fused deposition modelling (FDM) – expired. The result was an explosion in sales of open-source FDM printers, including MakerBot and RepRap. In just a few years after the patents expired, the price of the cheapest FDM printers had decreased from many thousands of dollars to just a couple of hundred.
When combined with the ever-broadening range of applications and materials available for 3D printing, it is clear that the expiration of these patents and the resultant fall in prices will play a critical role in spurring the period of phenomenal growth that IDC expects in the global 3D market over the coming years. And once the inherent advantages of employing 3D printing technology within the manufacturing process become even more obvious, there will be no bounds to how far its use can go. Progressive art and prosthetic limbs are just the beginning.
Martin Kuban is a senior research analyst at the technology research and advisory firm IDC in Prague
Follow us on Twitter @Ind_Insights
Scores
Oman 109-3 in 18.4 overs (Aqib Ilyas 45 not out, Aamir Kaleem 27) beat UAE 108-9 in 20 overs (Usman 27, Mustafa 24, Fayyaz 3-16, Bilal 3-23)
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
BAD%20BOYS%3A%20RIDE%20OR%20DIE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
'Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower'
Michael Beckley, Cornell Press
Day 4, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Not much was expected – on Sunday or ever – of Hasan Ali as a batsman. And yet he lit up the late overs of the Pakistan innings with a happy cameo of 29 from 25 balls. The highlight was when he launched a six right on top of the netting above the Pakistan players’ viewing area. He was out next ball.
Stat of the day – 1,358 There were 1,358 days between Haris Sohail’s previous first-class match and his Test debut for Pakistan. The lack of practice in the multi-day format did not show, though, as the left-hander made an assured half-century to guide his side through a potentially damaging collapse.
The verdict As is the fashion of Test matches in this country, the draw feels like a dead-cert, before a clatter of wickets on the fourth afternoon puts either side on red alert. With Yasir Shah finding prodigious turn now, Pakistan will be confident of bowling Sri Lanka out. Whether they have enough time to do so and chase the runs required remains to be seen.
The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
Princeton
Scoreline
Liverpool 3
Mane (7'), Salah (69'), Firmino (90')
Bournemouth 0
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
Fighting with My Family
Director: Stephen Merchant
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Florence Pugh, Thomas Whilley, Tori Ellen Ross, Jack Lowden, Olivia Bernstone, Elroy Powell
Four stars
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
