3DExpress: 3D Printed ‘Ice Dollhouse’ to Pave the Way for Construction in Cold, Remote Areas

In this week’s #3DExpress, we welcome the wintry winds of December with a rather chilly offering. U.S. army scientists have successfully 3D printed an ice dollhouse, which they hope will open up possibilities for construction 3D printing in cold, remote areas for things like igloos and road repair. Next, AI is dominating the 3D printing market and will continue to grow, according to a new research study. Then, learn more about a case study from Dyndrite, Aconity and Equispheres which looks at how to have speed, cost-effectiveness and superior surface quality with metal 3D printing. Wrap it up with a 3D printed lightweight frame being used for a project that is simulating bees and sports shoes that can be made using AI, 3D printing and a smartphone. Happy reading and have a great weekend!

Army Scientists Made an Ice Dollhouse With 3D Printing

In what is not quite a Christmas miracle, but certainly a huge advancement for construction in cold, remote areas, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers has successfully 3D printed an ‘ice dollhouse.’ Made using a modified ceramic 3D printer, the structure was made at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) using water mixed with tiny fibers of wood pulp that needed to be frozen layer by layer during the deposition processes. “In scenarios where your usual construction methods don’t work, can you use 3D printing with the natural available materials and take advantage of the cold temperatures to use ice instead, to get you whatever you need through the winter?” comments Kiera Towell, a research materials engineer at CRREL when explaining the goals of the project. Although challenges still remain, especially with the material itself, ensuring that it’s fluid enough to flow through a nozzle and then solid once extruded to hold its shape, the scientists are working on expanding the project to use a larger printer to make bigger, taller structures that will freeze faster to go from an ice dollhouse to an ice doghouse!

Photo Credits: Justin Campfield/US Army Corps of Engineers

Global AI 3D Printing Market Set for Sharp Growth

Artificial intelligence seems to be on everyone’s mind. Over a year since ChatGPT showed its capabilities, we have continued to see how AI can be used to improve processes in our daily lives. This includes in 3D printing. In fact, AI is so well-suited to additive manufacturing that a recent report from the Business Research Company estimates that the market size for AI in 3D printing will grow from an already impressive $1.7B in 2023 to $9B with a compound annual growth rate of 39.7%. Drivers of the growth can be attributed to a need for increased efficiency and reduced production costs, coupled with an increasing demand for more customized products, more optimized 3D printing and increasing automation. A trend to certainly watch in the years to come!