Title:
3-D Printers Are Here -- and They Make More Than You
Think
Description: This is
a VOA Special English Economics Report.
See text below
Text:
When we print something, a flat page comes to mind.
For example, you might use a
photocopier.Photocopiers print in two dimensions.Now,
imagine how this would work for three dimensions. A
machine prints layers of material — usually plastic
— one on top of the other. The layers are very thin
— usually one-fifth or one-tenth of a millimeter.
The layers then combine to form a solid object.
There are many versions of this kind of technology.
But the basic idea is the same for most 3-D
printers. The process is called additive
fabrication.These 3-D printers have become powerful
tools for product designers. Computer-aided design
programs use software to direct the printer.
Designers can then create a solid model in a short
time and easily make changes and tests.The 3-D
printing technology was first developed in the
nineteen eighties. But high cost put them out of the
reach of many researchers and businesses. Early
printers were limited. High cost and limited uses
meant the 3-D printer market was small.Now,
lower-cost printers are available to a much wider
market, including small businesses and individuals.
In January, the global technology company
Hewlett-Packard agreed to sell 3-D printers
manufactured by Stratasys. Stratasys has made 3-D
printers for years. Last year, it introduced a 3-D
printer for less than fifteen thousand dollars. More
companies are using 3-D printing to directly
manufacture some products. For example, Freedom of
Creation, based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands,
prints furniture and art. Bespoke Innovations in San
Francisco, California, wants to design and print
artificial limbs. Co-founder Scott Summit says these
prosthetic limbs can be designed exactly for a
patient's body for less money than existing
products.But 3-D printing still has limits. For
example, metals are more difficult to print than
plastics. However, airplane maker Boeing prints some
airplane parts. And printers are being used to
create some rare parts for old machines. For people
interested in new technology, a New York based
company, Makerbot, sells kits to people who want to
build a small 3-D printer. Some kits cost less than
one thousand dollars.For VOA Special English, I'm
Alex Villarreal. For transcripts and MP3s go to
voaspecialenglish.com. And follow us on Facebook,
Twitter and iTunes at VOA Learning English.
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Hi. I
personally reviewed this video and found it appropriate for
the news section of English Global Group. This
is a Voice of America video which covers an interesting
topic in Special English. I would appreciate some feedback from both
students and teachers about this video. You can comment in
the window below using any of a number of different services
including Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, and Hotmail.
