Top 5 Videos: 3D Printing for the Olympics

Welcome back to another top five videos from this week in 3D printing! If you’ve been waiting for the moment to relax and osmose knowledge through the medium of YouTube, then you’ve come to the right place. This week we have some fascinating clips to share from around the internet, starting with our own look at the role 3D printing has played (and continues to play) in the Olympic Games. Afterwards, get ready for a look at additive manufacturing both big and small, from the humble mycelium to NASA’s latest rocket engines, stopping along the way for a look at some very important things in our lives which are getting involved with 3D printing. So let’s dive in and take a look!

Top 1: 3D Printing and the Olympics

France 2024 is just around the corner, and in preparation for the feats of skill and sportsmanship, we at 3Dnatives have taken a look at what additive manufacturing has shared with the global sporting event. Learn about some interesting projects done for previous Olympic games and see how France 2024 is looking to smash all the records with 3D printed gear parts, equipment, transportation and even infrastructure! Keep your eyes peeled as we get closer to the start date, as we will bring you the latest updates on 3D printed Olympic projects to get you in the mood for cheering on your country’s team!

Top 2: Additive Manufacturing with ExOne and BMW

An iconic name and iconic brand, the chances are good that you know someone who has driven a BMW. And if that is the case, they might have been driving a car containing 3D printed parts! Join 3D printing company ExOne’s managing director Eric Bader as he takes us on a tour through BMW’s facility in Landshut, Germany which also happens to be the world’s first emission-free aluminum foundry, thanks to 3D printing. In the foundry, BMW uses industrial 3D printers to manufacture lightweight and durable aluminum crank cases, cylinder heads and other parts of the engines used in their M3 and M4 series of cars.

Top 3: Mycelium Reinforced 3D Printed Structures

You may be aware that using clay as a 3D printing material is a popular research avenue to find more sustainable and environmentally friendly way to construct things. Taking the concept one step further, researchers from the Institute of Architecture and Media at the Graz University of Technology have 3D printed clay and sawdust structures and reinforced their hollow design with mycelium. Mycelium, AKA the root-like structure of fungi, are able to spread through the 3D printed object, packed with nutrients from the clay and sawdust. In return, it acts as a kind of living binding agent, strengthening the object. The research team hope that further studies could yield a promising building material in the future. If you’re a fun guy you should watch the video down below and see their process for yourself!

Top 4: Inside the FDA’s Additive Manufacturing Lab

If you thought the US Food and Drug Administration didn’t have a 3D printing lab, guess again. In this video we join Brian Ibarra at the FDA’s Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories (OSEL) where the entire FDA apparatus is allowed to request items to be 3D printed. The items printed are not your run-of-the-mill desk goodies, but rather parts which can be used to assist FDA researchers with their projects geared towards public health, food safety, or other regulatory work. The video gives a glimpse behind the curtain to see how even government organizations are benefitting from 3D printing in order to update and push the bounds of public accessibility and safety.

Top 5: NASA 3D Printed Rocket Engine

The rocket engines that lifted the Apollo missions off of Earth cost over $15 million dollars each and took years to build, but with modern technology and 3D printing, the technology behind rocket engines has advanced by leaps and bounds. Check out this episode of Undecided with Matt Ferrell as he speaks with NASA’s principal engineer, Paul Gradl as they dive into the science and raw numbers behind modern advances in rocketry. Discover the importance behind efficiency in thrust, fuel and weight that sends rockets into the stars, and what kind of significant changes additive manufacturing can make to help the journey become cheaper, lighter and faster.

Which Top 5 video was your favorite this week? Let us know in a comment below or on our LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages! Don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly Newsletter here, the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox! You can also find all our videos on our YouTube channel.