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Category: 3D printing – Page 43

Texas-based construction company ICON has delivered what it hails as the “world’s first” 3D printed lunar launch and landing pad to NASA, bringing its goal of creating an off-world construction system for the moon a step closer.

Working with a team of students from 10 colleges and universities across the US, ICON used its proprietary technology to 3D print a reusable landing pad using materials found on the moon. The partners recently conducted a static fire test of the rocket pad with a rocket motor at Camp Swift, a Texas Military Department location just outside of Austin.

“This is the first milestone on the journey to making off-world construction a reality, which will allow humanity to stay – not just visit the stars,” said Michael McDaniel, Head of Design at ICON.

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Researchers from the German Kiel University have developed novel 3D printed ‘spiky-joints’ that provide wrist injury patients with a more flexible form of arm support.

Inspired by the natural wing micro-joints of the dragonfly, the spiky-joint features a novel interlocking mechanism that’s designed to cushion the wrist without impairing free movement. When set to its maximum rigidity, the scientists believe their device could be ideal for treating everyday strains and sprains, and preventing common hyperextension injuries in athletes.

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Engineers at the US Navy Research Laboratory (NRL) have deployed a 3D printer to fabricate optimized antenna components that could be key to advancing the US Navy’s radar monitoring capabilities.

Utilizing 3D printing, the engineers were able to create cylindrical arrays at a lower cost and with reduced lead times compared to those incurred using conventional specialized equipment. The resulting parts also proved to be significantly lighter than previous iterations, potentially lending them new end-use navigational or defense applications.

“3D printing is a way to produce rapid prototypes and get through multiple design iterations very quickly, with minimal cost,” said NRL electrical engineer Anna Stumme. “The light weight of the printed parts also allows us to take technology to new applications, where the heavy weight of solid metal parts used to restrict us.”

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Researchers from Harvard University have 3D printed a school of soft robotic fish that are capable of swimming in complex patterns without the aid of Wi-Fi or GPS.

Inspired by the distinctive reef-dwelling surgeonfish, the team’s ‘Bluebots’ feature four fins for precision navigation, and a system of LEDs and cameras that enable them to swarm without colliding. The self-sufficiency of the tiny bots could make them ideal for ecological monitoring applications, in areas that wouldn’t otherwise be accessible to humans.

“Just by observing how far or close they are in a picture, they know how far or close the robot must be in the real world. That’s the trick we play here,” the study’s lead author Florian Berlinger told Wired.

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Scientists from UNSW Sydney have developed a ceramic-based ink that may allow surgeons in the future to 3D-print bone parts complete with living cells that could be used to repair damaged bone tissue.

Using a 3D-printer that deploys a special ink made up of calcium phosphate, the scientists developed a new technique, known as ceramic omnidirectional bioprinting in cell-suspensions (COBICS), enabling them to print -like structures that harden in a matter of minutes when placed in water.

While the idea of 3D-printing bone-mimicking structures is not new, this is the first time such material can be created at room temperature—complete with living cells—and without harsh chemicals or radiation, says Dr. Iman Roohani from UNSW’s School of Chemistry.

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Video. And it’s only the first step. Imagine a satellite that doesn’t need to rely on components it brought from earth. It can print out components for itself and for others; spare parts or upgrades for itself, other satellites and space stations.

Made In Space is building a satellite that can 3D print itself in space. If successful, their satellite could revolutionize how we design future spacecraft.

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This may be good news for those who have damaged joints due to sports or old age.

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Human knees are notoriously vulnerable to injury or wearing out with age, often culminating in the need for surgery. Now researchers have created new hybrid bioinks that can be used to 3D print structures to replace damaged cartilage in the knee.

The meniscus is the rubbery cartilage that forms a C-shaped cushion in your knee, preventing the bones of your upper and lower leg from rubbing against each other. This stuff is susceptible to damage from sports injuries, but can also wear out with age – and if it gets particularly bad, sometimes the only thing left to do is surgically remove some of the damaged meniscus.

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Forget glue, screws, heat or other traditional bonding methods. A Cornell University-led collaboration has developed a 3D printing technique that creates cellular metallic materials by smashing together powder particles at supersonic speed.

This form of technology, known as “cold spray,” results in mechanically robust, that are 40% stronger than similar materials made with conventional manufacturing processes. The structures’ small size and porosity make them particularly well-suited for building biomedical components, like replacement joints.

The team’s paper, “Solid-State Additive Manufacturing of Porous Ti-6Al-4V by Supersonic Impact,” published Nov. 9 in Applied Materials Today.

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