Is made from a 3-D printer??
Don’t worry, you won’t be eating these 3-D printed apples; rather, they are used to monitor the conditions in which your apples travel from farm to store.
These apples are specifically engineered to match the thermal response of real apples, meaning they will cool at a rate that is within 5% of real apples, compared to the 16% of water-filled fruit simulators. They can be placed among the real apples as they travel from cold stores to ripening facilities to stores.
Ultimately, the novel sensor system provides an improved method to identify any quality issues when transporting fruits. Creators hope to better pinpoint the location and reason for unexpected quality loss.
How do you like them apples?
You can read the original article here.
Taking technology out of the lab and into the world, ETH Zurich is working on the world’s first house made with 3-D printers and robots.
The home will be three stories tall and is expected to be completed next year.
Check out this great video from BBC to learn more.
Engineers at the University of California have created a soft-legged robot whose body is made entirely from 3-D printing. The bases and caps of each leg are solid, metal components, while the length of the leg is soft and helps the robot adapt to move on nearly any terrain.
The hope for these robots is that they will be helpful in search and rescue missions, as well as observing endangered species without disturbing their natural habitat.
What is so cool about this new technology is the ability for a 3-D printer to produce multiple types of material. Shifting from hard material to soft with no gap between them makes the robot more durable and efficient.
Check out the robot in action here.
Written with help from BBC.
3D printing technologies have been around for some time. We’ve been able to print small items, large items, and everything in-between. However, the real technological advancements with 3D printing technologies don’t lie with the function of printing, rather the materials our 3D printers can print. For years we’ve been able to print plastics and soft metals, but never before have we been able to print immensely strong metals that are fit to build an aircraft with. Airbus is filing a patent for a new 3D printing process to do just that. This could really be a game changer in the world of 3D printing and it’s capabilities. Click below to read the full article.
Original Article by: Scott J. Grunewald
Original Article from: 3dprint.com
It seems that everyday, universities, private companies and small start-ups are pushing the boundaries of what 3D printing can truly be capable of. One day we’re printing cars, the next we’re printing clothes, the next we’re printing buildings and beyond. But, this new advancement in 3D printing technology is tackling the idea of 3D printing in an entirely new way. A team at the University of Bristol has developed a 3D printer that can print composite materials.
These composite materials range from sports equipment to airplane parts. Take for example a golf club. By manufacturing a club with a 3D printer, you’re able to design a club to a players exact specifications, flawlessly. This technology has only scratched the surface of what it can be capable of, but by pushing the technology into new printing materials, the 3D printing technology can now be utilized and explored by a vastly larger population. It’s no longer a technology of the future, it’s truly a technology of now.