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On today’s Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, Jason Daenzer of 3DCAD Printer, Inc. joins our hosts Bryan Nonni and Todd Schnick to discuss the evolution of 3D printing and what it means for us all.
We’ve all heard of traditional printing, and many of us have thought that color or black and white were our only choices. However, the invention of 3D printing has changed how we have previously thought about printing and nothing will ever be the same!
3D printing is known in its industry as “additive manufacturing,” and it has been around since the early 80s. With 3D printing, one can begin creating objects relatively quickly. One of the most common types of 3D printers uses a filament-type printer called a MakerBot, a robot that uses melted plastic, which is pushed out through a tiny tip to shape it into an object.
In order to create an object, the person operating the printer would need a 3D file generated in computer-aided design (CAD) or a comparable computer engineering program that the printer program can then understand and translate into an object that it would create.
When it comes to what a 3D printer can do, the options are endless. Jason adds, “People ask us a lot, what do we specialize in? It’s hard to say, it’s really everything, anything someone wants to build. It reaches across all industries it seems, from hobbyists to aerospace industries to medicine. There are all kinds of applications for 3D printing.”
Some of the objects created by a 3D printer are functional, and advances continue to be made in the 3D printing industry, in areas like healthcare, which could revolutionize organ transplantation. Big businesses are jumping on the 3D printing bandwagon as well. For instance, GE is investing in a facility that will allow them to use 3D metal printing to create fuel injectors for their jet engines after discovering that the printing process was more efficient and required less time than building the part piece by piece.
Jason brought a few examples of 3D printed architectural designs with him to the studio and discussed the use of 3D printing in the world of building and architecture. “The creations range from small models of internal things like chairs and counters to things architects are designing. I’ve done a significant amount of work where they would build a majority of the model from laser cut acrylic, but for all of the design details that aren’t just straight lines, they are really taking advantage of the 3D printing.” The biggest advantage to creating a model using the 3D printing method is speed. Old architectural models were nice, but they took a long time to create. 3D printing makes it possible to create a model in minutes instead of hours or days.
There have been many objects and quite a few new design ideas that Jason has seen come through his shop, many that he can’t discuss because of non-disclosure agreements! A few that he could mention include a new type of dog harness, a medical stent and much more.
To find out more about what 3DCAD Printer Inc. is doing in the world of 3D printing, visit the website at www.3DCADPrinter.com.
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