- This will aid research programmes for scientists specially focused on treatments of neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
- This could also help to understand how brain cells and parts of the brain communicate in humans.
- 3D-printing or additive manufacturing uses computer-aided designing to make prototypes or working models of objects by laying down successive layers of materials like plastic, resin, thermoplastic, metal, fiber or ceramic.
- In 2020, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology released “National Strategy for Additive Manufacturing” to tap its potential.
- Benefits of 3D Printing
- Enables quick and cost-effective prototyping, allowing designers to iterate designs swiftly, reducing time-to-market for new products.
- Create complex designs that would be challenging to achieve otherwise.
- More efficient as it uses only materials necessary for object being printed, thus minimizing waste.
- Reduces need for large inventories and streamlines supply chain by producing parts as needed.
- Applications of 3D Printing
- Construction: India’s first 3D-printed post office was created in Bengaluru.
- First pedestrian bridge was 3D printed in Spain using micro-reinforced concrete.
- Medical and Dental: Creating patterns for casting metal dental crowns and manufacturing tools for creating dental aligners.