![]() ![]() There are four stages of owning a 3D printer as a scientific instrument: printing, designing, materials, and automation. ![]() ![]() So, you bought your first 3D printer, assembled it, and now it is in the laboratory. In the following paragraphs, you will see how a 3D printer can be useful in many different laboratories, from chemistry to biology, to material science, and more. At such a price, a 3D printer is one, if not the most, versatile piece of equipment you can have in a laboratory, almost independently from a specific field. They are getting cheaper and easier to use, and nowadays it is not difficult to find good 3D printers for less than €500. In short, these printers melt plastic filament and deposit it layer by layer to create the final object. This mini-review focuses on Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) printers and what happens after acquiring your first 3D printer. If you are a PI, undecided about buying a 3D printer in the lab, read this mini-review, or if you do not have time to read it: just buy one, you will thank me later. If you are a student who got the “why?” question, share this mini-review and discuss the possibilities opened by owning a 3D printer. This short review wants to change this point of view. Although 3D printers are becoming more common in households, they are still under-represented in many laboratories worldwide and regarded as toys rather than as laboratory equipment. “Why should we buy a 3D printer?” This is, unfortunately, the question too many students still get from their professors when asking to buy a 3D printer for the laboratory. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |