One of the latest revolutionary inventions that the world has witnessed is the additive manufacturing technique of 3D printers. 3D printing concept is quite bold and immensely vast. This method has unimaginably vast scope in the manufacturing and production industry. The technique has already been accepted with open arms by manufacturers of various types of goods. Besides, enthusiasts and technologists are on an indefinite project and that is improvement of 3D techniques to allow other varieties of substances to be used and other varieties of goods to be manufactured. 3D printers have already surpassed the prototyping technique of manufacturing and may completely eliminate it sooner or later. Complex objects like spare parts for jet engines, jaw bones for human beings, jewellery, furniture, etc. are already being produced through 3D printers while it has not been a long time since this technology was introduced.
3D printers produce objects by addition of layers of materials which the objects are to be created. At present, it uses only certain polymers and metals but the advancement in the field of 3D printing assures that various materials would be compatible with 3D printers in future. In the context of advancements in 3D printing, work of Prof. Lee Cronin University of Glasgow and his team deserves mention. They are developing a 3D printer which shall help to create chemical reactors for the purpose of experimentation in laboratories academic institutions. The monetary worth of this device is roughly estimated to be $2000. The laboratory equipment that is to be manufactured through 3D printer would have various chambers connected to a reaction chamber. This reactor can easily produce resultant compounds of certain chemical reactions or may find new compounds. Prof. Cronin and his team have already started their work production of the chief constituent of pain-killers, i.e. Ibuprofen.
Moreover, 3D printing is most welcome as it is beneficial for both manufactures and consumers. The additive method of 3D printing maximises the productivity of a company and therefore, can minimise the retail prices of goods by the reduction of cost of manufacturing.
The downside of 3D printer method is that it might be used by anyone to produce anything unless very stringent regulations are formulated and enforced pertaining to ownership and usage of 3D printers. The technological advancements in 3D printing and the availability of 3D printers have to be thoroughly and consistently monitored so that its advantages can be acquired and the disadvantages can be avoided.