Technology 1/4


What do 007’s Aston Martin, engine parts for a jet aircraft and a 3D printer have in common? That they have all been manufactured using a 3D printer. Yes. You did read that correctly. A 3D printer printing another 3D printer. Dr. Catherine Wilson investigates this developing technology, the myths and its implications for sustainability


3D printing and sustainability: the jury is out...


Three-dimensional (3D) printers are not new. The technology first emerged about 25 years ago, as expensive, large industri- alised 3D printers, used by engineers and designers as a method of rapid prototyp-


ing. It is no surprise that first applications came from cash-rich industries, such as medical aids, aerospace and car-making. It is only in recent years that the technol- ogy has been used to make final products.


As the process has become less expensive, more accessible and new materials have become available, the technology has quickly gained momentum. Recent years have seen the advance of compact, open-


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