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Discussion:  Klaus Stadlmann has created the world’s smallest 3D printer.  With the use of laser systems that can focus on microscopic points, and a sophisticated positioning system that moves the lasers, Stadlmann is able to produce 3D models.  All that needs to be done from a users perspective is to import a 3D file, then the machine goes to work on a special liquid that is solidified by light, and the model is created slice by slice.  An example of something produced from a 3D printer is a hearing aid individually molded for a specific person–after the ear is scanned, all you have to do is hit the print button and the 3D model is sliced.

Source:  www.TED.com

Date:  December 2011

Link:  http://www.ted.com/talks/klaus_stadlmann_the_world_s_smallest_3d_printer.html

Discussion Questions:

• How else can 3D printing be used in every day applications?
• Can Stadlmann’s 3D models be made of anything besides the solidified liquid?  What type of material is the 3D product composed of at the end of the process?