Analysis of 3D Printing: Applications, Strengths, and Ethical Concerns

This report provides a comprehensive overview of 3D printing technology, also known as additive manufacturing, detailing its working procedure, requirements, strengths, and weaknesses. It explores the various applications of 3D printing in businesses, including prototyping, low-volume manufacturing, creating mechanical parts, and biomedical uses such as printing biomedical devices and organs for transplants. The report also addresses the ethical issues arising from the use of 3D printing, such as copyright infringement, privacy concerns related to patient data, and the potential for misuse of the technology. It concludes that while 3D printing offers numerous benefits and is rapidly advancing, careful consideration must be given to the ethical implications to ensure patient safety and protect intellectual property rights. Desklib provides students access to a wide array of solved assignments and study resources.

Running head: 3D PRINTING
3D Printing
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................2
2. Description...................................................................................................................................2
2.1 Working of 3D Printing technology......................................................................................2
2.2 Requirement of the Technology............................................................................................3
2.3 Strengths and Weaknesses.....................................................................................................4
2.4 Use of 3D Printing technology in Businesses........................................................................6
3. Ethical Issues...............................................................................................................................6
4. Conclusion...................................................................................................................................8
References........................................................................................................................................9

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1. Introduction
3D printing, which is also known as additive manufacturing, is defined as a practice of
creating three dimensional solid objects based on a digital file. The process of creation of any
printed object based on 3D printing, which could be achieved with the help of additive processes.
It has been discussed that in an additive process, a particular object could be created in the
process of laying down successive layers of materials until the ultimate objective would be
created (Barnatt 2016). Each of the different layers that would be created with the 3D printing
technology could be seen as a thin sliced cross-sectional and horizontal object. The term
“additive” normally refers to the process of successive addition of thin layers between the ranges
16 to 180 microns.
The process of 3D printing or additive manufacturing can be defined as the contrary of
subtractive manufacturing that is defined as hollowing out of a certain piece of plastic or metal
with the help of a milling machine (Martin et al. 2017). The 3D printing technology helps in
enabling users for producing a compound shape by making use of fewer materials than which are
required by the traditional methods of manufacturing.
2. Description
2.1 Working of 3D Printing technology
The working procedure of 3D printing technology could be defined as follows:
1. The first step in the process of designing a 3D printed image is defining the method of
preparation. In the process of the designing of a 3D file of a certain object, the person
responsible would need to prepare an initial design of the required file. The 3D file could be
created and extracted with CAD software, a 3D scanner or it could also be downloaded within

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the online marketplace (Laplume, Petersen and Pearce 2016). After the initial check over the file
would be done that would need to be printed, the user could proceed with the second step.
2. The second step in the process of 3D printing is regarded as the process of printing.
The primary method is to choose the proper material with the best kind of specific properties that
would be required by the object. There can be a broad list of materials, which could be used for
extracting 3D printing images (Kreiger et al. 2015). This could include ceramics, resins, metals,
textiles, biomaterials, food, glass, sand and it could also be lunar dust. Most of the discussed
materials would allow for finishing options. This would also enable for achieving the precise
design that would be in the mind of the artist.
3. The third step that is defined within the process of 3D printing is the finishing process.
The concluding step would require a high form of specific use of materials and skills
(Radenkovic, Solouk and Seifalian 2016). When the 3D object would be firstly printed, it could
not be often created or delivered until it would be lacquered, sanded or painted in order to
complete as intended.
2.2 Requirement of the Technology
The requirement of 3D printing technology is could be implied in different industries.
The primary requirements for the use of the technology include prototyping, home usage
purposes and in various forms of futuristic applications that include the building of cars,
buildings and medical body parts. This technology is thus required to slice the 3D models into
different layers. Each layer would then be traced on the build plate with the help of the printer (Ji
et al. 2017). There are different applications such as rapid prototyping, movie props, 3D printed
prosthetics, maquettes and architectural scale models. It has been discussed from several reports
of industries that 3D printing technology would be able to transform many other kinds of

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industry. The technology is also widely used in the educational sector as students and educators
would be able to materialize their ideas in an affordable and fast process.
This technology is also used in the manufacturing industry for the creation of prototypes.
This process can be defined as rapid prototyping. The technology is also used for the purpose of
rapid manufacturing. The automobile industry also employs using 3D printing (MacDonald and
Wicker 2016). The aviation industry employs 3D printing for the different printed parts that are
fitted within aeroplanes. The architectural sector has also adopted the technology for the purpose
of presenting their work in a physical scaling model. These different uses of such useful
technology thus prove to provide greater benefits for the industries.
2.3 Strengths and Weaknesses
A proper knowledge of 3D printing technology, it would also allow various designers for
making better decisions during delivering of an optimal product. The strengths of 3D printing
technology are:
1. Speed – The different parts that are designed could be produced at a fast speed in
comparison to the traditional methods of manufacturing (Li, Li and Liu 2016). Various complex
designs could be uploaded from a basic CAD model and then it could be printed within a few
hours.
2. A single step in Manufacture – The process initiates with the CAD model. The 3D
printing technology completes the building of the application in a single step with no form of
interaction with the machine operator during the phase of building.
3. Cost Factor – The costs of the operation of machines is considerably low as it
consumes less amount of power as compared to a laptop computer (Korger et al. 2016). The

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costs of materials would vary significantly based on the needed technology. The costs for labour
would also be reduced with the effect of technology.
4. Risk Mitigation – Based on the ordering of a faulty prototype, it would cost more
amount of money and consumes a lot of time. The technology provides the user to verify the
contents of the design before the investment over the design procedures. This kind of technology
would eliminate the various forms of risk made during the process of prototyping.
However, some of the weaknesses of the use of technology include:
1. High Consumption of Energy – The 3D printers consume lots of energy based on
mass production. Hence, they would suit better for small runs in batch production.
2. Expensive nature – The materials and equipment that are required for 3D printing
would cost much higher than the normal use of technological materials (Soomro, Faullant and
Schwarz 2016). The 3D printers that are used within the industrial sector would still cost as
expensive amounting to thousands of dollars.
3. Limited materials – As the 3D printing technology is defined as an important
breakthrough in the manufacturing sector, the materials, which would be used are mostly limited.
They are still within the development procedure.
4. Harmful Emissions – The 3D printers are mostly placed in enclosed places. These
machines generate the potential form of toxic emissions and other carcinogenic particles (Lee,
Lee and Lee 2017). The emitted radiations from the technology could be considered as highly
dangerous.

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2.4 Use of 3D Printing technology in Businesses
The different forms of 3D printing within the business sector are defined as follows:
1. Prototyping – The use of 3D printers in the world of business is based on the
designing of prototypes (Rayna and Striukova 2016). This primarily refers to the prototyping
solution, which would lead the production unit to define the result of the end products.
2. Low-Volume manufacturing – Although 3D printers would be slow moving, they
have the capabilities to fulfil the low volume of needs based on production. The low volume of
production would also be common during the production of medical devices (Sasson and
Johnson 2016). In such systems, the manufacturers would create, test and then re-design the
products for the purpose of optimisation.
3. Mechanical Parts – Businesses also employ 3D printing techniques for creating
different mechanical parts. This would be either be used for personal repair mechanisms and in
large industries.
4. Biomedical – One of the most notable uses of 3D printing within the healthcare sector
is that there is a vast usage of this technology for the purpose of printing of biomedical devices
(Trappey, Trappey and Lee 2017). Another use of such technology is that it is used for
developing printable organs for patients based on their need for transplants.
3. Ethical Issues
With the rise of 3D printing technology in numerous sectors of industries and business,
there is also a wide form of generation of ethical issues. These issues are also considered to be of
grave concern as they are in relation in terms of privacy for the people in relation to the industry.
In the use of the technology, the files that are generated from the 3D printers could be copied in

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an easy manner. The users would have the capability to reproduce the products as they would
access to the 3D printer.
The issue of copyright infringement could be considered as another critical issue based
on ethical concerns. The complex issues that arise would mostly happen when a non-traditional
manufacturer would make a copy of any trademarked design (Kietzmann, Pitt and Berthon
2015). Although the use of 3D printing could be considered as a medical and scientific
breakthrough, it could also be defined as a controversial issue. The printing of human organs
would produce different forms of ethical issues.
The printed organs would have different forms of issues in relation to research facilities
made within the healthcare sector. This research could be used for the use by patients to
determine their own stem cells and print the functioning organs that would be meant for
transplant. Although the use of 3D printing forms any kinds of benefits, they also have defined a
wide number of ethical questions. These would be highly needed to be taken into consideration
as these technologies would develop several relations in terms of the safety of patients.
Another major ethical problem in relation to 3D printing that is defined is that the
creation of a 3D file might replicate a third party design. It could also be considered as the
infringement of design rights for designers and manufacturers. Another issue that is raised and is
rarely addressed by businesses is that replicas and CADs might accommodate personal data. The
3D printers would be able to test surgeries. In these cases, the doctors would manufacture an
exact copy of the organs of patients. These would be meant for the purpose of viewing and
calculating whether the person would encounter any form of the issue during the surgery.
Privacy consent should be granted from patients during conducting a surgery based on 3D
printing (Vermeulen et al. 2017). Although the 3D printed organ would be further used for

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research purposes by the hospital, it should have formal consent from the patient. Based on the
use of 3D printing, it can be discussed that the information gathered from the use of technology
might be able to perform a different kind of marketing activities. These activities might be
performed for changing the business scenario.
4. Conclusion
From the supported discussion over the research on 3D printing technology, it could be
discussed that the use of such technology is accelerating at a rapid pace. The earliest applications
of additive manufacturing have mainly put an effect within the tool room sector of the
manufacturing department. Technological advances have also formed a major part in every
sector. Use of 3D printing technology has also helped these sectors to prove their worth. Over the
year, the methods used by additive manufacturing are moving ahead at a fast pace. They are also
ensuring that the production unit within the manufacturing sector would be requiring this
technology in order to bring out the best form of designs.
The report also lists the various strengths and weaknesses that are associated with the
technology. The requirement for businesses based on the use of 3D printing technology has also
been outlined in this research. Based on the understanding of the use of technology, the various
ethical issues have also been outlined within this sector. Hence, it could be concluded that the
use of 3D printing technology could be regarded as useful for the future generation of business
prospects.

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