Biomimicry in 3D Printing

Nature has survived for over 4.5 billion years and has always been able to adapt to all sorts of situations, so why can’t we do the same? Well in fact we can and 3D printing could be a method to do so. More specifically, biomimicry provides a solution to our problems without us even realizing, embodying Albert Einstein’s famous words, “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” And it is certainly necessary considering that every day, new environmental problems are appear or worsening, such as climate change, deforestation, the death of a large number of species, the devastation of reefs and more. But what do we mean by biomimicry and what exactly is the role of 3D printing in all this?

What is Biomimicry?

The word biomimicry, also known as biomimetics, consists of bio, which means nature, and mimesis/mimicry, which means imitation. These terms refer to a way of learning from nature and incorporating its structures or solutions into human designs. This has previously been shown before, for example with the Fibonacci number, the golden ratio, or the wings of an airplane, which imitate birds. Even one of the most visited monuments in Spain, the Sagrada Familia, with its columns designed by Gaudí, imitates the structure of forests.

Photo Credits: Filckr, Beune photography

Moreover, there are many other inventions in which nature has been the greatest source of inspiration. Take Velcro for example. It was developed by its Swiss inventor because when he was walking in the countryside with his dog he got the barbs of thistles stuck in his pants and in the fur of the animal. And although at the beginning it was not very popular, NASA later used it in its space travels. Now, with 3D printing, biomimicry is easier than ever thanks to its ability to make complex geometries, making the sky the limit for many new projects.