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Advanced manufacturing game changer

A team of Louisiana engineers and scientists, with federal funding from the National Science Foundation, are developing new technologies and materials to enhance structural safety and integrity in 3-D printing. They will use machine learning to efficiently discover and test optimal material compositions and processing methods.

Scientists dissect the complex choices of animals

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and the University of Konstanz created artificial shelters that vary in precise ways, allowing them to reveal the underlying preferences of animals. The findings suggest that animals prefer certain traits over others when choosing a home, such as intactness over shell length.

Three-dimensional chessboards

Osaka University researchers have developed a new method to create nanocellulose films with multiple axes of alignment using liquid-phase 3D-patterning. This technology has the potential to lead to affordable and energy-efficient optical materials, including smartphone displays.

SourceOsaka University·JournalNanomaterials·DateMay 19, 2020

Ultra-long-working-distance spectroscopy with 3D-printed aspherical microlenses

Researchers have developed a new technique that uses 3D-printed aspherical microlenses to overcome the limitations of traditional microscope objectives. This allows for ultra-long-working-distance spectroscopy, enabling researchers to study single nanometre-sized light emitters without the need for bulky microscopes.

A great new way to paint 3D-printed objects

Rutgers engineers have created a highly effective way to paint complex 3D-printed objects using an efficient painting method that reaches all nooks and crannies. The technique, known as electrospray deposition, has been used mainly for analytical chemistry but has also been applied in lab-scale demonstrations of coatings.

SourceRutgers University·JournalACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·DateApr 28, 2020

Printing complex cellulose-based objects

Scientists successfully printed complex structures containing up to 27% cellulose particles, exhibiting mechanical properties similar to those of natural materials like wood. The developed process enables the creation of customized packaging, cartilage replacements, and potentially even sports car bodies.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalAdvanced Functional Materials·DateMar 25, 2020

Making 3-D printing smarter with machine learning

Researchers at USC Viterbi School of Engineering develop machine learning algorithms to predict shape deviations in 3-D printing, resulting in improved accuracy across various applications and materials. The software tool, PrintFixer, is designed to be accessible to industry professionals and hobbyists alike.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalIEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering·DateFeb 11, 2020

Superior 'bio-ink' for 3D printing pioneered

Researchers at Rutgers University have developed a new 'bio-ink' for 3D printing that can serve as scaffolds for growing human tissues. The ink combines modified hyaluronic acid and polyethylene glycol to form a gel with controlled stiffness and binding sites for cells, enabling precise tissue growth and repair.

SourceRutgers University·JournalBiointerphases·DateFeb 10, 2020

Fastest high-precision 3D printer

Scientists at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have developed a system to print highly precise, centimeter-sized objects with submicrometer details at an unmatched speed. The new 3D printer produces speeds of about 10 million voxels per second, corresponding to the speed reached by graphical 2D inkjet printers.

SourceKarlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)·JournalAdvanced Functional Materials·DateFeb 5, 2020

Grooves hold promise for sophisticated healing

Researchers at Rice University have created a grooved method to seed 3D-printed scaffolds with living cells, enabling the growth of different tissue types in a single platform. This innovative approach protects cells from heat and shear stresses, allowing for the creation of hard implants that can heal bone, cartilage, or muscle.

SourceRice University·JournalBioprinting·DateFeb 4, 2020

Sustainable 3D-printed super magnets

Scientists at TU Graz have successfully manufactured super magnets with high relative density and controlled microstructures using 3D printing technology. The developed process enables efficient material use by tailoring magnetic properties according to the application, making it a promising alternative to rare earth metals.

SourceGraz University of Technology·JournalMaterials·DateJan 30, 2020

Ultrasound can make stronger 3D-printed alloys

Researchers used ultrasound to shake metal alloy grains into tighter formations during 3D printing, resulting in improved tensile strength and yield stress by 12%. The technique can be applied to various commercial metals, enabling the production of high-performance structural parts or structurally graded alloys.

SourceRMIT University·JournalNature Communications·DateJan 9, 2020

Honey, I shrunk Michelangelo's David

Scientists from ETH Zurich have successfully created a miniature copper statue of Michelangelo's famous sculpture using 3D printing technology. The technique allows for the creation of metal structures at the nanometer and micrometer scale, enabling the production of complex geometries with high precision.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalMicromachines·DateDec 19, 2019

Mimicking body's circulatory AC could keep airplanes, cars and computers cooler

Drexel researchers developed a computational platform that can quickly produce designs for 3D printing carbon-fiber composite materials with an internal vasculature optimized for active-cooling. Microvascular composites offer many advantages over existing liquid and air-cooling systems, including being much lighter and durable.

SourceDrexel University·JournalInternational Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer·DateOct 31, 2019

Bioprinting: Living cells in a 3D printer

Researchers at TU Wien have developed a new bioprinting process that integrates living cells into fine structures created in a 3D printer, achieving high resolution and speed. This technique allows for the control of cell behavior and growth, enabling studies on tissue development and disease spread.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalAdvanced Healthcare Materials·DateOct 21, 2019