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178 || AWSAR Awarded Popular Science Stories - 2019
replicas and not the original versions of the car. 3DP is so cost effective that not one real car was exploded in the movie despite its US$ 200 million budget !” In disbelief, she shrieked, “That's cheap.” I countered, “That's economical.”
Since space always holds a fascination in the minds of all, I added that 3DP has its application in the domain of space also... “Astronauts when they go to space use 3D printers to print objects they require than carry all the objects. This reduces the payload thus optimising the cost of space launches. The deep space missions where the astronauts will be required to reside on Moon or Mars would have 3D printed homes. They will be 3D printed with the raw material being Lunar/Martian soil as approved by NASA based on best designs selected through a 3D printing contest. The most important application of 3DP in space missions would be 3D printing food that would be customized and tailored
to suit the nutritional needs
of each astronaut. The food
material would be stored in raw
powdered form, the required
food would be selected and 3D
printed after adding selective
nutrients...” This has wide
application in space missions,
space tourism, military
missions and even serves as an
alternate approach to prevent
food wastage in agriculture,
thus, reducing the instances
of hunger and poverty in
India. Current approach to
prevent wastage of food crops
produced include refrigeration, which is expensive thus not widespread.
It could be concluded that many types of 3D printers exist, which use myriad 3DP processes with varied raw materials to create distinct objects. Industrial and hobbyist
domains are two different domains where 3D printers would be used. The industrial domain is very important since a lot of effort would be put in by industries to build 3D printers that would print output products. Advances in software complexity, computing capability, increasing memory capacity, development of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and materialscienceshaveallowed3DPtoflourish more visibly. Compared to earlier counterparts the present-day 3D Printers are more efficient, productive, and result in lesser wastage and are quicker. The charm of 3DP is that it cuts down on product development time, produces objects quickly and has lower material wastage as compared to traditional manufacturing methods.
“So how is your thesis related to 3DP? What is its importance in impact of 3DP?” Now this was the most important question that required deft handling. Choosing my
words carefully, I replied, “Remember I have already told you that older, less effective methods would be replaced by newer, efficient methods. My work is a step that documents this progress. My PhD thesis cites the present existing less effective methods in the industry that when replaced by 3DP cause optimisation of costs, quicker product development, greater customisation and higher productivity.” The case studies only prove the difference more starkly. This would in effect be examining
the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on our society. Besides, bengaging advanced technical methods employed would only reaffirm the predominance of 3D printers and the characteristics that made them so vital. If available I might also document the industry
Astronauts when they go to space use 3D printers to print objects they require than carry all the objects. This reduces the payload thus optimising the cost of space launches. The deep space missions where the astronauts will be required to reside on Moon or Mars would have 3D printed homes.