MakerS as innoVaTors Chapter 1 What Is a 3D Printer H ave you ever wanted to control how the things you use look feel and function Imagine being able to think of a design for a hammer and then make that hammer right away Maybe you want 3D printing could help you make simple parts to repair or improve your bicycle 4
3D Printing 3D printers create items layer by layer to make a plastic hat for your dog Or perhaps you need to replace a broken part on your bicycle There is a type of machine that allows you to quickly create objects like this 3D printers use designs made on computers to make three-dimensional objects right before your eyes Three-dimensional objects are not flat like the words and images you print on paper They are real-life objects that you can pick up and use Users can control the size shape and even the material of their objects 5
MakerS as innoVaTors 3D printing uses a process called additive layer manufacturing During this process a machine stacks layers of material to create objects A 3D printer is kind of like a hot glue gun that puts out material in the shape that a computer describes At first 3D printers were most useful to large com panies that wanted to quickly make versions of new product ideas to use for testing Today many people are getting interested in this amazing technology A Very Short History of the 3D Printer American inventor Charles Hull is largely credited with creating the idea of 3D printing In 1986 he thought of using a laser to turn thin layers of liquid into a solid object However the technology available at the time made Hull’s plan difficult New lasers computers and materials had to be created before 3D printing became as useful as it is today The Internet has helped improve 3D printing by allowing people from all over the world to instantly share their knowledge Also small microcontrollers such as the Arduino are getting better and cheaper making it easier to control motors and temperatures This is very important for 3D printers 6
3D Printing Chapter 2 How People Are Using 3D Printers t oday people are coming up with new and exciting uses for 3D printers all the time Here are just a few examples of what these incredible machines can do Industrial Uses The airplane company Airbus is trying to figure out a way to make a 3D printer that is as big as an airplane hangar They are hoping to print entire airplanes 3D printers are becoming more and more popular 7
