User:Gmy5011

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Graham Young

Bio

As of now, I am in my 5th year at Penn State studying mechanical engineering.

Blog Post - 9/30/2014

I am currently working on the yellow and green printer with Michael Orner.


Progress

Up to this point, Mike and I have fixed the hot-tip carriage, the Arduino support mounts, the X,Y, and Z wiring. We have added also added X,Y, and Z end stops, and the carriage spacer.

We have done multiple test runs, in order to make sure the end-stops work and the printers home position is calibrated. During the prining of a test run, our cork insulator broke due to too much force from the dispenser. The insulator/spacer has now been replaced with a sturdier spacer made of acrylic.

We believe by 10/02/2014 that we will be ready to print a test piece to make sure our printer is working correctly. By 10/07/2014 that our printer will be up and running.

My Thoughts

As of now, I feel like I have really learned a lot about multiple components of the RepRap 3D printers. I have learned about the Arduino controller, the carriage, the hot-tip, the motors, the motor mounts, and the end-stops. I have also learned a great deal of different types of 3D printers, such as selective heat sintering, selective laser sintering, direct metal laser sintering, and extrusion deposition. I have also learned about the many applications of 3D printing. For example, rapid prototyping, mass customization parts, manufacturing of complex parts, automobile manufacturing, and different medical field applications.

Blog Post - 10/14/2014

Progress

Up to this point, Mike and I have completed the maintenance of the yellow and green printer. We have now started work on the Brown & Blue printer. As of 10/14/14, we have unclogged the extruder for this printer. We now have to reassemble the extruder mount. We plan to have this completed no later than 10/21/14.

What's Next

After this is complete, we will test the printer, in order to determine its functionality.

After the completion of the Brown & Blue printer, Mike and I will either start maintenance on another printer or start construction of a brand new printer. As of now, I feel that it would be an awesome learning experience to build an entire printer from scratch.

Response to Blog Post: 3d Printing, clothes & Sensors: for US soldiers

As we have learned in this class, 3D printing is being used in a variety of industries. This article demonstrates that, as it focuses on 3D printing used in the armed forces. Experts are examining whether 3D printing can be used to produce clothing, weapons, supplies, and food for the army. I think that if 3D printing could be used for this purpose then it would significantly reduce the budget our government needs to support the military. If these supplies could be mass-produced via 3D printing, then the cost of materials could be significantly lower. Also, since the process could be mostly automated, the cost of labor would be lower as well. This would allow the government to reallocate some of the budget that is currently being used to support the military and put it toward other efforts, such as our initiative to find more environmentally-friendly fuel sources or to support our homeless and boost our economy. I found this article very interesting, but I wish it had given some more detail. It briefly mentioned the parts of the military uniforms that can be made using 3D printing, but it was very vague in that it did not give any details about the types of materials used, who would produce the items, etc. It also mentioned that the military is looking into using 3D printing to produce sensors, but it did not expand on what kind of sensors would be produced. I personally do not know much about the sensors the military uses, and I think it would have been interesting if the article had related the topic more to how exactly the production of these sensors would help the military. At the end of the article, the author listed some examples of the future of 3D printing. Some of these examples intrigued me, such as the fact that 3d-printed jewelry and toys are already being sold, yet the article did not cite any sources about this that I could follow up on or discuss the importance of being able to produce items this way. Although the article was not well-written, it opened my eyes to the idea that 3D printing can be used by the armed forces, which could completely revolutionize that industry and save the government money.

Article: http://www.einfolive.com/3d-printing-cloths-sensors/

Response to Blog Post: NASA Is Building the World’s First 3D-Printed Satellite Camera

This article investigates yet another industry that can potentially make use of 3D printing in the future. I found this article very captivating to read, as I have always had a personal interest in the topics of astronomy, space exploration, NASA, etc. Jason Budinoff is working on building a 2-inch camera for a miniature satellite, which I think is revolutionary because it could propel widespread 3D printing into the space exploration and aerospace industry. This is especially interesting as smaller private companies, such as SpaceX, are entering the market and creating more competition. More competition in an industry tends to bolster innovation, which could lead to a significant increase in new space discoveries if this were to happen in this industry. I think it is very smart of Jason Budinoff to be researching this technology before it has even been asked for by NASA program managers because this means that by the time they do ask for it he will be ready to provide it. One topic in this article that I found especially attention-grabbing was the idea that a pressing technique could be used to create mirrors out of pure aluminum. Mirrors are used to create telescopes, and there are significant challenges to procuring mirrors for telescopes. Large telescopes used for research, such as the Keck telescopes at Mauna Kea in Hawaii, often use mirrors that are approximately 10 meters in diameter. Not only do these mirrors cost millions of dollars, but they are also extremely difficult to transport. Since these large telescopes function best at very high elevations, transportation of the mirrors to these locations is a must. The idea that these mirrors could be produced at a lower price is very exciting, as many of these telescopes must be funded by private universities or government agencies with limited budgets. If they could potentially create them anywhere there is a capable 3D printer, they could also avoid some of the challenges that come with transporting the mirrors. This article shows that the space exploration industry could be one that is most-affected by 3D printing. Article: http://mashable.com/2014/08/12/3d-printed-cubesat-camera/

Response to Blog Post: Discov3ry Paste Extruder: Affordable Add-on for 3D Printers

This article truly shows society’s interest in 3D printing. The Kickstarter campaign only asked for $30,000 but was able to significantly surpass its goal by raising $126,086. 3D printing is a very interesting topic, but sometimes it can be difficult for the public to see how it really applies to them. This project seems to have captured so much attention because it makes 3D printing more useful. Aside from the typical plastic that is used in most desktop 3D printers, this add-on extruder would allow the user to print with more materials. This allows users to be more creative and produce items that are more functional. I think that by making desktop 3D printers more affordable and useful we will be able to better understand just how impactful 3D printing could be. Right now there is a fairly limited amount of people with access to 3D printers, so if we could open this technology to more people there would be much more creativity in using them, which could potentially revolutionize many industries.

One thing I really enjoy about this Kickstarter is the plan to make 3D printed products more applicable. The article mentions using 3D printing for producing shoe insoles, which is a great idea. 3D printer’s ability to customize makes this a great application. Doctors could scan a person’s feet and use the scan to determine an optimal insole for a person and have a 3D printer do this. Custom orthotics tend to be expensive and difficult to produce, and this would make them available to a larger amount of patients who need them. Another idea I liked was the use of 3D printing in food design. 3D printers would be great at printing icing designs on cakes or printing images with Nutella or chocolate. 

I am curious to see what happens with this product and when it will become available. I wonder if more companies will attempt to produce something like this and make it available before this group is able to make this product available. Although this product could bolster more creativity, the cost of desktop 3D printers is still too high for most people. Once the price of those comes down, I think this product could have more of an impact. Article: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/structur3d/discov3ry-extruder-do-more-than-ever-with-your-3d

Response to Blog Post: Food is the next frontier of 3D printing

The idea of using 3D printing to produce food is a very intriguing one. This article makes it clear that 3D-printed food is somewhat far into the future, however, even though we are already capable of printing in chocolate. With companies like Freedom of Creation really pushing innovation in this area, I think that 3D-printed food could soon become a reality. I think there is a lot more to be explored in this area, however. In the article, Kyttanen discusses printing a hamburger made from plaster just to show the public that they will one day be printing their food, but I do not think this is a very effective way to grab the public’s attention. The burger does not look appetizing, and people tend to resist change when it comes to altering their lifestyles. The article also discusses how new, creative meals can be produced. Perhaps these meals will indeed be tasty, but I doubt most people will want to put that kind of effort into preparing their foods. The author makes a very good point when addressing the fact that, “If you can’t find a good business model for it, it won’t happen.” This technology needs to find an effective way to break into the market and get people to adopt it. Adoption of a technology means that users have incorporated it into their lives and routines and that it has become a habit to use it. This is a step up from just usage of a technology, when the user is still not 100% convinced that he or she really needs or should be using the technology. If companies like Freedom of Creation could obtain a widespread following of users willing to adopt the technology, then perhaps this could become a reality. Without this support, I think it is unlikely that companies will find success in pushing this technology. Article: http://www.dezeen.com/2013/03/27/food-is-the-next-frontier-of-3d-printing-janne-kytannen/

Response to Blog Post: Food is the next frontier of 3D printing

The idea of using 3D printing to produce food is a very intriguing one. This article makes it clear that 3D-printed food is somewhat far into the future, however, even though we are already capable of printing in chocolate. With companies like Freedom of Creation really pushing innovation in this area, I think that 3D-printed food could soon become a reality. I think there is a lot more to be explored in this area, however. In the article, Kyttanen discusses printing a hamburger made from plaster just to show the public that they will one day be printing their food, but I do not think this is a very effective way to grab the public’s attention. The burger does not look appetizing, and people tend to resist change when it comes to altering their lifestyles. The article also discusses how new, creative meals can be produced. Perhaps these meals will indeed be tasty, but I doubt most people will want to put that kind of effort into preparing their foods. The author makes a very good point when addressing the fact that, “If you can’t find a good business model for it, it won’t happen.” This technology needs to find an effective way to break into the market and get people to adopt it. Adoption of a technology means that users have incorporated it into their lives and routines and that it has become a habit to use it. This is a step up from just usage of a technology, when the user is still not 100% convinced that he or she really needs or should be using the technology. If companies like Freedom of Creation could obtain a widespread following of users willing to adopt the technology, then perhaps this could become a reality. Without this support, I think it is unlikely that companies will find success in pushing this technology. Article: http://www.dezeen.com/2013/03/27/food-is-the-next-frontier-of-3d-printing-janne-kytannen/

Response to Blog Post: NASA Funding 3D Food Printer Research (The Replicator!?)

This article discusses how NASA is investing in research that will one day allow 3D-printed foods to be used by astronauts traveling to Mars. The entity researching this is said to be Systems and Materials Research Corporation in Austin, which differs from the companies developing 3D-printed food in some of the other articles. This shows that there could be somewhat of a race between companies and researchers to produce a product that is a viable option for 3D-printing food. This competition will push innovation, so we could be seeing results in the near future. Perhaps at some point these entities will be able to collaborate and produce a product better than any of them would have been able to produce on their own! The article discusses the need for food being used in space to have at least 15 years of shelf life. This is certainly a challenge, and it would be exciting if 3D printing could provide a solution. One concern would be that of nutrition for the astronauts. The printing that the article mentions uses powders made of carbs, protein, and macro/micro nutrients to create the food while binding them into layers using oils. It does not expand on the type of oil used, but this could potentially be a concern depending on how nutritious the oil is and how much of it is in the food. The article also does not address whether the food loses nutrients or flavor when compressed into its powdered form. If it loses either, it might not be a realistic option for astronauts. One part of the article that I found intriguing was the section at the end that discussed pizza that can be made using a 3D printer. It says that the printer will be built soon, but it does not say if it would be used by astronauts. Either way, this would be an improvement over the traditional tube food that astronauts are accustomed to eating as long as they can produce it and make sure it can be preserved and easily eaten in space. Article: http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Nasa-3d-printing-food-pizza-mars,news-17053.html

Response to Blog Post: 3D Printing: Employment Boom or Employment Swoon?

3D printing can be used in many fields, and this article examines the economic effects of that. I think the concern over job loss, especially for non-skilled workers, is legitimate. If factory work can be automated and done more efficiently and with higher quality, then I can certainly see companies trying to embrace that at the cost of some of their workers. I do not think this will happen for at least a few more years, however. It could potentially cause a high demand for supply chain professionals, as the implications of incorporating 3D printing into a supply chain would require much analysis. New technology does tend to create completely new jobs though. The article mentions that they will need people to manufacture, fix, and sell the printer, but I think there are probably even more new jobs that will be needed that we have not thought of yet. As for the loss of retail jobs, I do not think that the model proposed in the article is very realistic. Although shoppers are doing less shopping in-person, they will likely not want to print objects like shoes in their own homes. This would require them to buy the printer, materials, etc. I could, however, see the potential popularity of choosing a shoe design online, placing an order, and having the custom-printed shoes shipped to you. In this case, the companies would still need people to manage the website, run the printers, fulfill the orders, and ship the finished products to the consumers. This industry would also likely require a large supply of support workers. The task of choosing a design and printing it could certainly be difficult with many users. Most people have experienced problems with traditional printers and therefore may be hesitant to purchase or operate a 3D printer of their own. If they do decide to purchase their own printer, they will likely need to occasionally call a help resource to resolve any issues. This is another reason that I think companies would be more likely to allow customers to design products and submit them for order rather than printing them in their own homes. Article: http://3dprint.com/3980/3d-printing-jobs-economy/