Name: What if 3D printing was 100x faster?
Uploaded: 2015-03-19T18:37:34Z
Duration: 10 min 33 s
Description: What we think of as 3D printing, says Joseph DeSimone, is really just 2D printing over and over ... slowly. Onstage at TED2015, he unveils a bold new technique -- inspired, yes, by Terminator 2 -- that's 25 to 100 times faster, and creates smooth, strong parts. Could it finally help to fulfill the tremendous promise of 3D printing?

What we think of as 3D printing, says Joseph DeSimone, is really just 2D printing over and over ... slowly. Onstage at TED2015, he unveils a bold new technique -- inspired, yes, by Terminator 2 -- that's 25 to 100 times faster, and creates smooth, strong parts. Could it finally help to fulfill the tremendous promise of 3D printing?

What if 3D printing was 100x faster?

A groundbreaking technique inspired by a scene from Terminator 2 lets objects rise from a liquid at speeds up to 100 times faster than traditional 3D printing. By harnessing light and oxygen in a precisely controlled environment, this process forms parts continuously, eliminating the weak layers that plague conventional methods. With surfaces as smooth as injection-molded pieces, these parts can now be truly strong and ready for real-world use. This leap could finally link digital design and manufacturing, transforming industries from healthcare to aerospace.