A team of MIT researchers created a "Multifab" 3-D printer that broke records by printing 10 materials at once.
MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL) has produced a cost and energy-efficient 3-D printer that can print multiple materials at once and is the first in history to have both self-correct and embed components.
The incredible new system can self-calibrate and self-correct, saving the user from having to do the grueling fine-tuning themselves. The system's feedback loop 3D-scans and detects errors, allowing it to create "correction masks." It also gives users the ability to embed complex components such as circuits and sensors directly into the object that is being printed.
"The platform opens up new possibilities for manufacturing, giving researchers and hobbyists alike the power to create objects that have previously been difficult or even impossible to print." Said Javier Ramos, a research engineer at CSAIL who co-authored the paper with members of professor Wojciech Matusik's Computational Fabrication Group.
MultiFab has already proved its ability in printing smartphone cases and LED lenses. Next, the researchers plan to try embedding motors and actuators into more advanced technology. The scientists believe the printer could be used for a wide variety of applications, such as creating consumer electronics, medical imaging technology, and even robots. In the future, stores that have already installed single-material 3D printers could potentially upgrade to multi material-printing technology that could even be rented out to smaller businesses and hobbyists.
"Picture someone who sells electric wine-openers, but doesn't have $7,000 to buy a printer like this. In the future they could walk into a FedEx with a design and print out batches of their finished product at a reasonable price," Ramos said. "For me, a practical use like that would be the ultimate dream."
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