Page 200 - AWSAR 2.0

176 || AWSAR Awarded Popular Science Stories - 2019
3D Printing, It's Just like Magic!!
Mr. Rohit Kannattukunnel*
Email: rohitsknn.7777@protonmail.com
Ihave lost the cover of my pen drive once again, said Ranjita, my sister, exasperatedly, “wish I could make one rather than spend time
searching for it.” She looked at me earnestly half hoping I would join in her futile search. When I was unmoved she asked “What are you doing?” “My research,” I replied. “Please do not explain it to me. I will go away right now. Science! That's boring!!” she retorted. I promptly left my activity and replied, “Science is not boring if presented properly... Especially my research topic!” “Prove it,” she snarled.
“My topic is based on 3D Printing (3DP).” “What is 3D Printing? Can you elaborate on it properly with some applications?” she interjected. I continued, “3D Printing uses an approach where a physical object is made by repeatedly depositing a unit layer of object on
each other till the required object is obtained. You create a digital blueprint of the object by designing it on any software or scanning it, and then use it as an input to create the required physical object. For example, I can design the back cover of a cell phone and then 3D print it. Products customised to one's desire in surface design, colour and size can be created. Let me show the flowchart of 3D Printing process to you for better comprehension and easier overview.”
Ranjita's interest was awakened. So I continued, “3DP uses different raw materials, such as plastics, ceramics, metals, human tissues and dentin to 3D print objects. Different 3D printing processes exist, which use various raw materials to produce different objects. There were even cases when a 3D printer uses
* Mr. Rohit Kannattukunnel, PhD Scholar from Datta Meghe Institute of Research, Maharashtra, is pursuing his research on “Investigating Effectiveness of 3D Printing Technologies for Building Efficiencies in Engineering Industries”. His popular science story entitled “3D Printing, It’s Just Like Magic!!” has been selected for AWSAR Award.