3D printing is an incredible technology that has evolved significantly over the last several years. These days there are 3D printing projects involved in a variety of creative initiatives. We've now got the option to print things like body parts, tools, braces, planters, sundials, shelves, buckles, various tech gadgets, chip-clips and other household items, various foods, and a lot more.
You can find 3D printers on the market today that range in price from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. And likewise, there are compact individual home-sized units, as well as much larger commercial sized printers that can print things like houses and cars.
It's estimated that the 3D printing market will grow roughly 14.37 percent every yearfrom now until 2020.
This technology is drastically transforming the manufacturing process in many ways and it has helped to drastically lower costs, boost convenience, and improve efficiency. 3D printers can print things cheaper and do the job faster in many circumstances. And it's anticipated that within the next several years, that this technology is going to become much more affordable and accessible to more people.
One new area that this technology has made its way to now is in printing solar panels.
The team that worked on this project has allegedly been striving toward completion for at least 15 years.
The 3D printer that they worked with used water based electronic ink that contains semiconductor materials. The printer then uses that ink to layer solar panels' components onto thin/transparent sheets. It's also alleged that these 3D printed solar panels are more sensitive to dim light and that therefore, this might enable them to deliver more power for a longer period of time during the day.
The researchers have said that with only 10 commercial sized 3D printers that are capable of this, they'd be able to produce the panels needed to light 1,000 homes. They eventually hope that they will be able to use this technology in some way to directly 'paint' the panels right onto the wall or roof of a surface area.
Aside from the project at Newcastle, others have also revealed that researchers have been able to produce solar power receivers that are estimated to be 20x more efficient than previous.
Not only that, but 3D printers have also been used to create solar energy trees that are 'energy harvesting trees' comprised of 3D printed leaves that are made with flexible & organic solar cells (see above). The solar industry is just one more area that could benefit tremendously from this technology.
Pics:
Pixabay
Pixabay
via 3ders.org/articles/20150218-3d-printed-solar-energy-harvesting-tree-can-charge-smartphones.html
Sources:
https://all3dp.com/1/useful-cool-things-3d-print-ideas-3d-printer-projects-stuff/
https://www.manufacturing.net/blog/2016/01/disruptive-evolution-3d-printing
https://www.newcastle.edu.au/newsroom/featured-news/the-clever-electronic-inks-rewriting-our-energy-future
http://www.3ders.org/articles/20171101-sandia-national-lab-team-3d-prints-20-percent-more-efficient-solar-power-receivers.html
https://www.theguardian.com/powershop-powering-better-future/video/2016/nov/30/3d-printed-solar-energy-trees
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