How 3D printing can influence waste management?

 I was talking with few young entrepreneurs on possible new business idea . One of them, Som Sen from IIM told that he is planning to start a 3D printing business.  I really found his business idea is interesting because it's expected 3d printing business will grow 300% by 2020. 

What's the size of 3D printing industry?

2012 - 1.3 billion USD
2016 - 3.1 billion USD
2020 - 5.2 billion USD


In this post, I will first talk about why I think impact of 3D printing is bigger than internet and I also added an interesting 3D printing video.

Here are some key idea on 3D printing and its impact

3D printing is taken seriously by manufacturers as an alternatives to cutting, bending, pressing and molding things. Actually it can help in improving lives of poor in developing countries.

3D printing can be used for creating boats, rain ater collector or custom build composting toilets. Actually making them from plastic waste is also beneficial to environment. 3D printers, by the very nature of their additive process, provide an incredible environmental impact.  When compared to traditional subtractive manufacturing processes, less material is used and less waste is produced.

3D printing is a mind-blowing process. It’s not a need-based business, but a want-based one.It actually helps people to define themselves what they want. 

3D-printing has proven useful in medicine, where it’s been used to print jawbones, prosthetics and replacement hips. In fact, Weijmarshausen of Philips says that a 3D-printed ball joint and the mesh pin that goes into the bone enables the bone to grow into the mesh, facilitating a very strong connection.

Companies like Organovo and Invetech have already built 3D printers to layer human cells and print any type of a desired 3D pattern. When further developed, these tissues could create blood vessels and hopefully, organs! Millions battle life-threatening complications in medical therapies and these solutions could save their lives. Because the parts would be built specifically for that person, the hope is that several complications of regular transplants will be bypassed as well.

3D printing machines are also known as rapid prototyping machines. Old rapid prototyping machines were quite huge and expensive.  This was the main reason for the technology only being affordable to big companies involved in manufacturing. The price was the biggest constraint and the main reason for smaller companies to outsource the task of creating 3D models to professionals who made 3D prototypes.

Here is an interesting article by Andrew Purvis on  3D printers "Will 3D printers make food sustainable?"

Please see another interesting video on DIY 3D printer in a most cost effective way 

Formlabs, Cambridge, raised $2,945,885 from kickstart to build high quality low cost 3D printers. .

Resources : How 3D printing works? 

News: 3D-Printable Guns Face Federal Ban :"Congress passed a law banning plastic guns for two decades, when they were just a movie fantasy," Israel said. "With the advent of 3D printers these guns are suddenly a real possibility, but the law Congress passed is set to expire next year."