As it stands, most 3D printers will print layers upon layers until the final item is complete. This is pretty much standard and for the most part, it works just fine. However over at Harvard, researchers have created their own 3D printer that involve lasers and also has the ability to print objects in mid-air.
Now you might be asking why mid-air? By printing in mid-air, or at least floating, it allows the user to create freeform objects and patterns that might not have been possible using more traditional 3D printers. So how does this work? The “ink” used in this printer is made from silver nanoparticles, and combined with a laser, it helps heat the material and it will solidify as it comes out.
One of the researchers who worked on the project, Mark Skylar-Scott, said that one of the challenges was getting the laser’s timing and distance just right. If they placed the laser too near the nozzle, it would harden before it comes out and clog it up. However if they placed it too far, the structure it prints would lose its form and collapse.
According to Wyss Institute Director Donald Ingber, “This sophisticated use of laser technology to enhance 3-D printing capabilities not only inspires new kinds of products, it moves the frontier of solid free-form fabrication into an exciting new realm, demonstrating once again that previously accepted design limitations can be overcome by innovation.” In the meantime you can check it out in action in the video above.
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