3D Printing in Scientific Research

3D printing uses computer models to print objects layer by layer. Laboratories around the world are deploying this technology to speed up traditional research methods and make them more productive.

One way 3D printing helps researchers is by reducing the cost of equipment involved in research. 3D printing plastic parts and components is cheaper and faster than waiting for them to be made and delivered by an outside vendor. Hence they can be used as consumable items, that are put to use once and discarded without the need for clean ups.

3D printing and printers are becoming a standard tool for scientific research, helping scientists to fabricate parts custom made for an experiment. They also help in replacing damaged parts of a certain apparatus in a clean, cheap manner. 3D printers also make it easy to make life size models of molecules and atoms, helping researchers to better understand the materials involved in their experiments.

3D printing also helps researchers in medicine to print life like models of a body part or organs to study and practice complex surgical procedures. 3D scans of a patient’s body parts help in creating 3D models of a certain organ. Once printed they can be studied to design novel techniques of treatment and surgery.

3D printing is revolutionizing research in the oil industry by helping researchers to map and build 3D models of rocks. Printed 3D models of rocks provide researchers access to minute details of the various physical properties of a rock. This helps them understand how various mechanical, physical and natural forces affect rocks, paving the way for new drilling and oil extraction methods.