3D Printed Wing Ribs - Are We Almost There?

[Cy V]

This is an interesting article about new materials being used in 3D printing, including wood ... yes, wood.

Using a standard powder-based 3D printer, they and their students have figured out how to print bricks, components, and furniture using recyclable materials. What does 3D-printed wood look like? Weirdly realistic: it has a faux grain, simply because of the layered printing process. The salt, meanwhile, looks like “solid milk,” to borrow Rael’s words. Shockingly, it’s all super strong, thanks to reinforcement techniques developed in-house—their printed cement is actually stronger than standard stuff. But most importantly? It’s 90% less expensive that current 3D printing technology.

I wonder how far off we are from 3D printing wing ribs and other airplane parts?

http://gizmodo.com/renewable-recyclable-3d-printing-with-wood-and-salt-486558507

 

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