the digital giraffe - 3D print news

3D Printing News
Note: we are now including articles on plant-based foods in the field of vegan nutrition.

Engineers at Purdue University are responding to the high cost of providing materials for lunar construction by planning to use moon dust to build tools, habitations, and infrastructure. The local powder will have to accommodate microgravity, vacuum, and wide swings in temperature. 2 potential materials have been targeted: lunar regolith, formed over millions of years; and recycled orbital debris from defunct satellites and used rockets. Regolith particles are irregular and jagged, while space conditions disrupt materials made on earth. One system being considered identifies powder layer defects in real time. Another is laser accoustic resonance spectroscopy, which analyzes anomalies and integrates them into existing machinery.

The USC California Science Center has on display 2 mummies that are roughly 2,000 years old. The scientists used CT scans and 3D printing to replicate body parts of the mummies. With these techniques they were able to diagnose the physical problems that existed. One had a collapsed vertebra. The other showed substantial hip issues. The researchers were also able to see how medical problems were treated in ancient times. Some diseases proved to be self-healing, like broken bones and dental abscesses. Cases of tuberculosis indicated that some diseases continue to be a problem for humanity.

Engineers at ETH Zurich have created stable, elastic ear cartilege from lab-grown human cells. Current solutions involve taking cartilege from the patient's own ribs to sculpt a new ear. Negative effects include pain and stiffness. The new method, while highly complex, has been successfully tested on rats. It is estimated that 5 years of testing will be required before the method is ready for human implementation.

The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland is developing a new reliability algorithm to increase the efficiency of 3D printed output. The current methodology, called "guess and click", is inconsistent at best, problematic when working with mission-critical projects. The new method plans to produce a "comprehensive suite" of reliability checks independent of fabrication location or machine used.

3D printed dressings for wounds has been available, but a new method from the University of Missippi has developed a way to produce natural, biodegradable antibacterial materials. The new method uses chotosan, a biopolymer found in chitin, which itself occurs naturally in the exoskeletons of insects and crustaceans. This biopolymer was combined with compounds found in fruits, cereals, tea, and wine. The new material is biodegradable and inactive, so side effects and toxic residues are no longer an issue.

Several universities in Korea have collaborated to produce the world's first 4D printing methodology during petroleum refining, which output 85 million tons in 2024. The waste sulfur can then be used to enable self-activating soft robots.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is producing high-definition 3D scans of art objects, including marble scultures and Van Gogh paintings. Viewers can zoom in, rotate, and even see the objects in VR and AR headsets as well as some smart phones. The archive of digitized objects now contains over 100 items. Additionally, the Met has collaborated with Verizon to produce a virtual display of its galleries. The display is apparently available for 5 weeks only, and at a fee.

Two professors at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville have developed a method to turn spoiled milk into a biodegradable plastic. They call it turning waste into worth. The professors were awarded a $50,000. 2-year grant by the Dairy Innovation Hub to expand the process.

3D printing was used to turn a Chinese cave home into what is being called The Underground House of the Future. The underground cave homes are a traditional type of dwelling, where residents dig their homes out of the earth. These homes were built in areas lacking timber and other traditional building materials. The new designs feature brick vaults, 3D printed terraces, and a netted textile canopy, all designed to increase safety and be more resilient to climate change.

Many companies are using high-tech and confusing language to disguise the fact that plastics are part of their product or their process, especially in the food industry. Buyer beware. Demand an easy-to-understand explanation before you eat or buy.

We review many hundreds of articles each month, culling the most significant for you. We also welcome suggestions from our viewers for products and processes that we may have missed.

c.Corinne Whitaker 2026