Research Paper - Annotated Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography

Vance, Ashlee. “3-D Printing Spurs a Manufacturing Revolution.” New York Times. 13 Sept. 2010. Web. 17 Oct. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/14/technology/14print.html>

This article by the New York Times showcases some of the newer uses that 3D printing is finding, and gives several examples of those uses by businesses. Some of these products include prosthetic limb casings, furniture, and even jewelry – all of which contrast sharply with the more traditional use of 3D printing in rapid prototyping. The article then goes into brief detail of the 3D printing process (remarking that it's nothing like paper printing), and brisks over some of the technology's trends. In the end, the article solidly backs up its title by showing ways this technology can, and is, leading to a change in manufacturing. While many of the applications presented are by small businesses, it doesn't escape the writers that larger companies are also looking into 3D printers.

D. Dimitrov, K. Schreve, and N. de Beer. "Advances in three dimensional printing – state of the art and future perspectives." Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 12 Iss: 3, pp.136 – 147. 2006. Emerald Insight. Web. 15 Oct. 2011. <http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1558305>

This research paper examines 3D printing as a whole, looking at both commercial and industrial applications. It gives quite a few examples of these uses, and reviews a range of fields that the technology is used in, such as architecture and medicine. After this review, the article details some conclusions about the strengths and weaknesses of 3D printing for rapid prototyping, and looks at several primary research topics within 3D printing. In the end, the article concludes that the technology will definitely stay within its use in design, but its greatest potential growth lies with rapid prototyping.

Makerbot Industries. MakerBot Industries, 2009. Web. 11 Oct. 2011. <http://www.makerbot.com/>

This site is the homepage of the 3D printer supplier MakerBot Industries, and has a wealth of information about their product and the company. Their product, the MakerBot, is unique in being a 3D printer that is home assembled, and has found a large following among hobbyists. MakerBot Industries was a key company in bringing 3D printers to this very audience, and their site features much information attuned to home hobbyists. It's made abundantly clear that they're a key player in the home movement for 3D printers, and their site is an excellent resource for this.

Freeform Construction. Loughborough University, 2011. Web. 11 Oct. 2011. <http://www.buildfreeform.com/>

This site is the home page of the “Freeform Construction Project,” which seeks to research the use of 3D printers in concrete printing for fabrication of construction pieces. They remark that the demands of modern architecture are reaching the point where new technologies are needed – such as additive manufacturing via 3D printing. The site covers, naturally, what the project is about and the technology they use, along with a full listing of publications and media pieces about the project. Overall, the project is an exciting application of 3D printing that strays outside of the more traditional use in rapid prototyping.

BotMill and BotMill Blog. BotMill. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <http://botmill.com/>

Botmill.com is another home site for an important 3D printer manufacturer, geared toward both hobbyist and consumer markets. Their site and blog contains several articles and news segments about the overall industry, and is a good resource there. It also contains several videos about their specific 3D printer and printing process. Overall, the site is a useful repository of information about this specific company and their endeavors into 3D printing.

“3D printing creates 'something out of nothing'.” Reporter. Daniel Sieberg. BBC News. 23 Dec. 2010. Web. 1 Oct. 2011. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/world_news_america/9318390.stm>

This video by BBC, while about a year old, is an excellent overall summary of 3D printing and the process essential to the entire technology. It delves briefly into the history of 3D printing, giving a small segment to Makerbot industries and their impact on the 3D printing market. Another important part of the video is its focus on the trends of the technology. Some facts from this section include the pricing of 3D printers – it's on the decline - and that there are plans for large 3D printers with the ability to print multiple materials.

Barnatt, Christopher. “3D Printing.” explainingthefuture.com. Web. 24. Sept. 2011. <http://www.explainingthefuture.com/3dprinting.html>

Explaining the Future's page about 3D printing is an excellent collection of information about the technology, focusing on both the process of 3D printing and the applications it holds today. The page also goes into detail about the impact the technology could have in the future, going on to speculate on some of their future uses. It also breaks down current technologies used in 3D printing, from fused deposition modelling, the building of an object through deposition of a material that then cools, to selective laser sintering, the fusing of a powder via a laser. All of these processes rely on building a 3D object through 2-dimensional slices.

Bak, David. "Rapid prototyping or rapid production? 3D printing processes move industry towards the latter." Assembly Automation, Vol. 23 Iss: 4, pp.340 – 345. 2003. Emerald Insight. Web. 22 Sept. 2011. <http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=874909>This article is a research paper that addresses the fact that 3D printers are primarily used within industry for rapid prototyping. It then goes on to explore some technologies that may cause an expansion beyond this use, and covers them in detail, along with some advantages 3D printers have. Some of these new developments include new materials that are more heat resistant, and others that are much closer in properties to glass. The paper also details the economics of mass production through 3D printers, and why it is still too pricey for large companies to mass produce items with the technology.

Graham-Rowe, Duncan. “'Gadget printer' promises industrial revolution.” newscientist.com. NewScientist, 8 Jan 2003. Web. 22 Sept. 2011. <http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn3238>

This article is relatively old (about 8 years), and focuses on the concept of using electric-sensitive polymers in 3D printers to create devices with fully integrated electronics. The idea is quite novel, and if it were successfully implemented, would add a new dimension to 3D printing. Unfortunately, given the age of the article, it seems that the implementation has yet to be perfected yet, or the electronic speeds are too slow. Nonetheless, the article and topic serve to highlight the fact that 3D printers have a wide range of applications, and can be used in more novel ways than fabrication of a static object.

Graham-Rowe, Duncan. “3-D Printing for the Masses.” technologyreview.com. M.I.T., 31 July 2008. Web. 22 Sept. 2011. <http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/21152/?nlid=1244&a=f>

This article mainly focuses on one company (Shapeway) and the 3D printing service it set up. Customers pay the company to 3D print a custom design, who in return ship it out to them, though there are of course design constraints. This an interesting service, and shows one way 3D printing may change the way people acquire goods. It's also a service that has been replicated by other companies since this article, all of which seek to make 3D printing simple and accessible to everyone.

Brandon, John. “What is 3D printing? A beginner’s guide to the desktop factory.” digitaltrends.com. Digital Trends, 27 June 2011. Web. 22 Sept. 2011. <http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/what-is-3d-printing-a-beginners-guide-to-the-desktop-factory/>

This particular article is a summary of the appeal of 3D printers as they stand today, and examines them from a hobbyist standpoint. However, it also acknowledges their use in rapid prototyping, and some of their business applications. For the hobbyists, it then compares several 3D printer models and the process one would use to operate them, going into detail to contrast them to more traditional manufacturing methods. It then ends on current trends in 3D printing, noting that prices continue to decline, and that the technology has the potential to expand far beyond hobbyists.

“The Printed World.” economist.com. The Economist, 10 Feb 2011. Web. 22 Sept. 2011. <http://www.economist.com/node/18114221?story_id=18114221>

"The Printed World" covers the basics of what 3D printing is, and some of the many applications it has today. It compares and contrasts what 3D printing could bring to manufactured products, including the elimination of having to throw away excess waste, and decreased time and money in rapid protoyping. Finally, it goes on to speculate on the impact 3D printing will have on industry, and commercial goods as a whole. There are numerous examples within the article of 3D printing being used commercially, though one of the more significant is the creation a car body by the company Stratasys.