3D Printing a Big Deal Now and in the Future

IT personnel must pay very close attention to 3D printing for two main reasons: It will change how the organization for which they work operates and how they will do their own jobs. The technology has been here for quite some time, but it is increasingly stunning. It continues to change and grow in capabilities. For instance, nanowerk reports on research published two weeks ago in Advanced Materials that describes 3D printing of electronics. This hybrid method – which combines direct ink writing (DIW) with automated pick-and-place of surface mount electronic components within a single manufacturing platform – enables surface mount electrical components of arbitrary shapes and sizes to be readily integrated onto printed soft wearable circuits.