{"id":45665,"date":"2013-12-20T19:03:48","date_gmt":"2013-12-21T00:03:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/countingpips.com\/forex-news\/?p=45665"},"modified":"2013-12-20T19:03:48","modified_gmt":"2013-12-21T00:03:48","slug":"why-your-next-home-will-be-3d-printed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.investmacro.com\/forex-news\/2013\/12\/20\/why-your-next-home-will-be-3d-printed\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Your Next Home Will Be 3D Printed"},"content":{"rendered":"

By MoneyMorning.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n

What do wood and plastic have in common? Not much really. However thanks to a new technique they actually share a common ground.<\/p>\n

Wood comes from trees. (Duh!) And because of population acceleration over the decades the number of trees in the world has diminished. <\/p>\n

That means as the world gets more people in it, we have less trees to make stuff. Less trees equals bad news for the environment.<\/p>\n

Whether it’s clearing of land for people to live on or felling trees to simply make stuff, trees get the rough end of the stick (so to speak). <\/p>\n

One of the main uses of wood is in building and construction. But what if there was a better way? What if we didn’t need to use so much wood to build things? <\/p>\n

What if we could use modern technology <\/a>to make things better and stronger? What if we could combine two cutting-edge technologies to turn the building and construction industry on its head?<\/p>\n

Well we can. It’s happening now. And it’s changing the way we make everything<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Wood and plastic form a great partnership when mixed together as a composite material<\/em>. And as a composite material we just might be able to use it to save a few trees and make things better.<\/p>\n

But the composite is just one part of the equation. The other is possibly the most influential technology of the 21st century.<\/p>\n

Of course I’m talking about 3D printing<\/strong>. 3D printing is changing medicine, consumer products, art and manufacturing. The impact it’s having on the world is far-reaching. It’s empowering individuals to become ‘makers’.<\/p>\n

I’ve been pro-3D printing for longer than I can remember. Not only have I seen what 3D printing<\/a> is capable of, but I’ve become a maker myself. I’ve used 3D printing to make things, including a prosthetic hand.<\/p>\n

But how can you possibly use wood in 3D printing? <\/p>\n

I’m not talking about using a lathe to reshape a log and create a 3D model. Or even cutting wood and sticking it together and labeling it ’3D Printing’ for marketing effect.<\/p>\n

I’m talking about running wood through a 3D printer<\/strong>, just like you would with normal ABS plastic.<\/p>\n

The simple mechanics of how a 3D printer works is you feed plastic, usually ABS or PLA, through an extractor nozzle.<\/p>\n

The nozzle melts the plastic at a temperature in excess of 250 degrees Celsius. As the melted plastic feeds through the nozzle, the printer lays the plastic down layer by layer.<\/p>\n

That’s how you get your 3D model. It’s micron-thin additive manufacturing. <\/p>\n

Of course you know that if you heat wood up to temperatures in excess of 250 degrees Celsius it will catch fire. So how in the world can wood be used to 3D print?<\/p>\n

From a Bowl To a Home, It’s Not that Big a Jump<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n

Well I’ve seen it with my own two eyes. In fact I even took a video of it, which subscribers to Revolutionary Tech Investor<\/a><\/em> have access to firsthand.<\/p>\n

But I extend the truth slightly when I say wood in 3D printing. In truth it’s really the balance of wood and plastic in this new composite material.<\/p>\n

Because on it’s own wood has a temperature limitation. But when combined with another material, in this case plastic, it holds enormous potential.<\/p>\n

The 3D print method I describe mixes wood and plastic in such a way the wood doesn’t burn. Simply feed it through the 3D printer like any old ABS plastic.<\/p>\n

I saw this all firsthand at the recent 3D Print Show in London. ‘ColourFabb’, a Dutch start-up company, showed me how it’s done. The guys demonstrated to me how to 3D print a bowl from their proprietary wood composite on an Ultimaker 3D Printer.<\/p>\n

Of course they wouldn’t tell me how they make the wood\/plastic composite. Trade secrets apparently…<\/p>\n

But the end result was stunning. The finished product is a 3D model with the feel and texture of wood. However instead of slaving away on a lathe, they made the bowl with the simplicity of 3D printing. Literally point, click, and print.<\/p>\n

For the time being this composite of wood and plastic mainly has aesthetic appeal. But 3D printing technology<\/strong> is evolving at a rapid pace. It won’t be long before the technology allows it to have functional appeal also.<\/p>\n

3D printing<\/a> isn’t just a product anymore. It’s a complete end-to-end industry. And composites are another branch of the tree.<\/p>\n

It’s possible as these composites further advance that the potential will be more than aesthetic. The real potential lies in a product 3D printed with the same structural strength<\/em> as a solid cut of wood.<\/p>\n

Imagine building a house where the builder ‘prints’ the frame on site. Where every home becomes a one-of-a-kind 3D print. Instead of wood, a wood\/plastic composite prints off doors, window frames, benches and roofing. It would instantly reduce the world’s reliance on wood.<\/p>\n

And if wood can become a composite material used in a 3D printer, what else might be around the corner? Carbon fibre? It’s already happening. Concrete? Already happening too.<\/p>\n

What I know is that the entire industry of 3D printing is evolving at break-neck pace. But many people are still ‘waiting’ for the right opportunity.<\/p>\n

It might be 3D printers, 3D printing software or the materials used to make the finished product. There are investable opportunities galore.<\/a><\/p>\n

The time to invest in this industry is now. Not tomorrow, not in a week, definitely not next year. <\/p>\n

I’ve never been more convinced of the potential 3D printing will have on the world. And all it took to push me over the edge was watching a bowl 3D printed from wood.<\/p>\n

Sam Volkering<\/strong>
\n Technology Analyst<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n

Join Money Morning on Google+ <\/u><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n<\/img><\/a> <\/img><\/a> <\/img><\/a>\n<\/div>\n


\nBy MoneyMorning.com.au<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By MoneyMorning.com.au What do wood and plastic have in common? Not much really. However thanks to a new technique they actually share a common ground. Wood comes from trees. (Duh!) And because of population acceleration over the decades the number of trees in the world has diminished. That means as the world gets more people … <\/p>\n

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