Earlier today I presented our 3D printer to the Dominican University faculty.  I demonstrated how our Cubify printer (the type seen in the featured image) works, and I discussed what 3D printing is.  I also focused the discussion on the possibilities of 3D printing, both how the process is currently being put to use in a variety of fields, as well as the further out there potentials, such as becoming the Star Trek replicators I wrote about in an earlier piece on the topic.

Provided here is the PowerPoint I used to present the printer today, which is an update of my earlier blog post.

I made a video, a while back, when we first got the printer, to show how it works. Unfortunately, I recorded it on my phone, so the video is a tad sideways, but you can still get the idea by seeing the extrusion and layering process in action.

In our talk today, I found it interesting how much more accepting people seem to be of printing individualized human organs, but are put off by the idea of printing food. It might have to do with the greater necessity seen for the former in comparison to the later, as if the later is more of a gimmick. And yet, with climate change occurring, the amount of land available for raising food, and specifically meat, is going to disappear, meaning synthetic protein will be necessary to supplement the world’s food supply. And I would prefer to have a 3D printer manufacture a fake burger made of this protein — it would make the transition easier to accept. But perhaps that is just me.

Anyway, I am hoping to get more people, faculty and students alike, interested in learning how to use the 3D printer for a range of purposes, so I will keep showing it off until that happens.