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
Related Posts:
3D Printing Technology: Making It Faster and Cheaper
https://steemit.com/technology/@doitvoluntarily/3d-printing-technology-making-it-faster-and-cheaper
The Creative Potential Of 3D Printing
https://steemit.com/health/@doitvoluntarily/the-creative-potential-of-3d-printing
3D Printing An Object Using Just Your Mind
https://steemkr.com/technology/@doitvoluntarily/3d-printing-an-object-using-just-your-mind
Great find.....this is where I like to see technology advancing!
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Imagine everything in future using solar...tha twould be convenient . Cause we do not need to walk into a cafe just for charging our phone.
But if we must start protect the nature now.
Nice post , upvoted.
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Good gawd, I can't even load the ink cartridge in my 1990's printer. This is so far beyond me. Space age stuff. Then again, I'm easily impressed.
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This is all so amazing its unbelievable
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Hey. @doitvoluntarily you post is amazing really great post thank for sharing.
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Wow ! 3 D printed solar panels , who would have ever thought this possible ! Haha ! This will make it so much more affordable for the normal person to install and maintain , its something im considering when I build my little house , even though we have the power shack now built , we could still put stuff on solar energy like the washer / dryer etc. That will cut the cost of power in half ! Great post once again @doitvoluntarily ! Im on my way to make my mid week update post for the #popcontest ! 👍💕✌👌
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That is very good post and i like to see technology.
Thanks for sharing
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3D printers are amazing , I own one and they create the best things ever . I made so many keychains floor plans and much more . Who knew years ago that technology would be this way
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As soon as one technology is introduced as the new kid on the block, the old one is now obsolete. i often wonder if this is about advancing technology to help folks or a way to shine the new marketing item to make new money where they could not otherwise by marketing the old product. Either way is was a good read and great news!
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Three-dimensional printing is a long-awaited technology for various purposes from different aspects of life.
And now is the time to take advantage of renewable technology for the benefit of humanity, especially in the field of health.
Congratulations on launching 3-D Printing
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Solar to the moooon buddy.
Have a good middle of the week my man. I am just not around as much and people are giving me grief, here and there, it is tiresome for me now, the lack of balance of some people here.
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I have a natural reserve in Mexico in which I wish to develop a highly sustainably community. These are great ideas indeed! This is the kind of posts that make us more confident about the sustainable future our civilization owes our planet. Cheers!
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Hey, that's pretty amazing. It would be awesome if 3D printing takes off. The next 10 years could be very interesting.Imagine combining 3D technology with Tesla technology.
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I had read about 3D printing of solar panels many years ago. Wondered what had become of the technology. Glad it has been improving. Hard to believe that 3 commercial printers could provide power for 1000 homes. 🐓🐓
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Thanks for share solar tips and some info
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Really nice & smart post....!!...I like it.👌
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It's just great to hear that clean energy sources get cheaper and cheaper in production. That's exactly what we need to make a shift from all these coal burning methods. Upfront cost of solar panels seems like the biggest thing that discourages people from getting one :(
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Great future technology.
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Just yesterday I read the news that in the production of titanium structures their durability increases by about 20 % with using the printer.
I'd like to believe that in the near future 3D printing will provide a breakthrough in all these industries. But so far, I have not seen the information about the production in an industrial scale using it. But your article is encouraging, thank you for sharing!
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3D printing fascinates me but am yet to see how it works and what it can do and what it will be able to do in the future :)
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3D printing is going to revolutionise the world even more than the internet did.
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Holy Popo!
Very soon we can charging our collective Teslas under the canopy of a Solar Forest.
Intriguing find @doitvoluntarily ...intriguing.
btw. What do you think they will print next? customized condoms, diamond rings, airplanes, cars, nachos, fortune cookies, solar umbrellas that gives gps location and allows you to verbally update your steemit post/curation (ok they are probably doing half of the things on my list already...I'm just too lazy af to google it).
Let me know what else you have found while researching this post.
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Up-Vote for Latest Intriguing-Shit Sharing and Enriching Steemians Collectively (and not just becuase of your massive following....but sure I'll follow @doitvoluntarily too). Cheers
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Wow
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Wow
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nice post...
help together follow me, vote me....
https://steemit.com/@khurshid
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