Challenges and Regions

    Let's take a minute and take the temperature of 3d printing as it affects us in the region. We understand the pluses. 3-d printing democratizes manufacturing therefore decentralizing centers and many of the complaints that could lower tarriffs and ease political relationships where NAFTA was a huge focus. It also puts consumer in granular control. Much of the negative press associated with 3d printed guns has subsided.

   In the region Cleveland has begun hosting confernces and integrating into the public library system (another field trip from last summer) Youngstown State is also starting an additive manufacturing major. I have been in contact with the Dean of this department and hopefully this will reap positive rewards for the blog and region. There are also challenges, the first in the region being that Akron for all if its medical prowess and polymer science has not become a major player in North East Ohio yet.

   One micron is the best available unit accuracy that 3d printing can achieve. This is accuracy is staisfactory for electronics but the next goal should be to integrate sensors and communiccation arrays from the start. The goal of 3d printing medical devices is based on digital but the industry is still in process of digitizing medicine records themselves. It is also less resistant than classically molded parts. Then they are the legal risks which include excercising a degree of caution, slowing down microfabrication. Intellectual property rights are a major issue that will have to be solved with the rapidly evolving innovation.