3D printing, something that means "there is no present"

In recent years, the "capability boundary" of 3D printing has expanded dramatically. In a 2012 report titled "The Third Industrial Revolution" by *The Economist*, the 3D-printed objects that amazed the authors were as simple as a hammer. However, over the next three years, the achievements in 3D printing—ranging from racing cars and housing to drones—became dazzling and began to replace traditional manufacturing methods. At a 3D printing summit hosted by Stratasys, the world’s largest 3D printing company, industry leaders emphasized that it's not enough to just replicate existing products or challenge traditional factories. The real future of 3D printing lies in creating things that don’t exist yet—whether it's new products or entirely new rules of production. One example of this shift is the work of Wen Li, an associate professor at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. While many focused on large-scale 3D printing projects, Wen Li took a different approach by focusing on small, intricate details. His team printed a “artificial shark skin” on flexible material. Under a microscope, the structure resembled a tiled roof, which significantly reduces water resistance. Each scale is only 120 microns in size and is attached to soft tissue. Replicating this requires handling both hard and soft materials with extreme precision—something traditional machines can't do. But for 3D printers, this is no problem. Modern 3D printing technology can handle at least eight different materials, including varying levels of hardness, color, and transparency. This allows for detailed textures and complex structures. Wen Li’s shark skin model reduced water resistance by up to 34%, leading to potential applications in super-suits, high-speed submarines, and even self-cleaning surfaces. In a video demonstration, he showed how a drop of water could clean a dusty phone screen covered in artificial shark skin simply by shaking it. Other examples from the same event included a 3D-printed transmitter—an electronic device that successfully sent a message, though not as complex as a full mobile phone. While it wasn’t something that didn’t exist before, it demonstrated the growing potential of 3D printing in producing “active devices.” Unlike traditional machines like hammers or molds, active devices can operate without direct human control. One of the most advanced examples is robots. Google recently reported using 3D printing to embed hydraulic systems into mechanical legs in a way that mimics blood vessels, potentially improving robotic movement efficiency. Wen Li is also working on a bionic robot inspired by octopuses. In a video, a soft, silicone-like robot was shown gently picking up fragile items like CDs, tomatoes, and even live crabs. This flexible manipulator makes robots more delicate and cost-effective—only 1/100th the price of traditional robots. Beyond technical advancements, 3D printing is reshaping entire industries. According to Howard Lipson, a professor at Cornell University, the advantages of 3D printing go far beyond what people typically realize. It eliminates the need for molds, enables rapid prototyping, and offers precise, one-to-one manufacturing (WYSIWYG). He argues that 3D printing disrupts the entire manufacturing process, from design to supply chain. Lipson, the author of the first book on the 3D printing revolution, explained that 3D printing breaks ten fundamental rules of traditional manufacturing. For instance, the cost of complexity is eliminated, meaning that producing a complicated object doesn’t necessarily cost more. It also removes the cost of diversity, making it possible to produce 100 different items at the same cost as one. Assembly steps are also eliminated, as parts can be printed in one go, and workers no longer need specialized training to operate the machines. Omar Clegg, General Manager of Stratasys Asia Pacific, added that the biggest challenge for 3D printing isn’t developing new materials or machines, but changing the mindset of manufacturers. “Only those companies that embrace innovation and change will survive,” he said. He shared a case involving Haier, where engineers used a 3D printer to quickly create a fan blade when imported parts were unavailable. While it took three months for official replacements to arrive, the 3D-printed part was ready in just two days. “This is something nobody has ever done before,” Clegg remarked. “It only took about three seconds to come up with the idea, but that was the hardest three seconds.” (Editor)

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