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3D Printing for Beginners: History & Significance

As we continue to learn more about 3D printing through our own experiences and with the help of Marines knowledgeable in this field, we have created this guide to help those looking for a quick starting point.

First Self-Replicating 3D Printer

“Darwin” | Photo by CharlesC / CC BY-SA 3.0

Quick History

(Goldberg, 2018)

  • In 1981 at the Nagoya Municipal Industrial Research Institute, Hideo Kodama published his account of a “functional rapid-prototyping system using photopolymers”
  • In 1984, Charles Hull developed stereolithography or STL, the file format used in 3D printing models created with the use of digital data
  • In 1999, a synthetic scaffold of a human bladder was 3D printed at the Wake Forest Institute.
  • In the following decade, various institutions in the medical field have been successful in 3D printing a functional miniature kidney, prosthetic leg and blood vessels.
  • In 2005, Dr. Adrian Bowyer brought 3D printing closer to the consumers by launching an open-source initiative called the RepRap Project (RepRap: “replicating rapid prototyper). The goal of the initiative was to develop a 3D printer that could print its own components.
  • Due to the success of the RepRap Project, Darwin, the first self-replicating printer was created in 2008

Significance of 3D Printing

General (Love, 2013)

  • Prototyping
  • Easy replacement of small parts without having to go through a long process with the manufacturer
  • Develops personal skills related to 3D modeling and 3D printing that could be beneficial in the future
  • Allows people to create what they need, when they need it
  • Allows designers/entrepreneurs to bring their products to life in a shorter period of time

Health and Medicine (Smith, 2017)

  • The use of 3D printed models of organs based on patients’ 3D scans to better plan with precision each step of the surgery
  • The use of 3D printed models to test fit replacements such as valves for the heart to check for possible leaks and other potential problems that could be prevented

US Marine Corps

  • “AM is a rapidly advancing manufacturing process which allows direct application to improve the readiness of Marine Corps ground equipment and aviation assets. AM is a secondary source of supply that improves equipment readiness through production at the point of need.” (MCO 4700.4)
  • Used for creating replacement and spare parts for equipment that are old and hard to maintain
  • Used for creating parts that support them in expeditionary environments such as buckles, snowshoe clips, Humvee handles, etc. (Jackson, 2018)
  • Support and increase ground equipment readiness (e.g. vehicle hide structures, shelters)