Lab equipment from 3D printers may cut costs significantly

Chronicle of Higher Education : Joshua M. Pearce of Michigan Technological University and his colleagues attempted to produce as much of the equipment for their lab as possible using a 3D printer. They found that costs for equipping the lab that way could possibly be cut by up to 97% as opposed to purchasing parts from traditional suppliers. One of the pieces they re-created for less than $100 normally costs almost $2500. And the team also found inexpensive metal fasteners and rails for assembling the printed parts. Pearce says that the potential benefits of using 3D printing to equip labs are significant. Aside from reducing costs, 3D printing can allow for easy customization and easier sharing and reproduction of experimental setup designs. And even some commercial lab equipment vendors see the growth of 3D printing as a good thing. There will always be a need for specialized metal and glass products, such as lenses for optical experiments, and not having to provide as many other products will allow companies to focus on the parts that can’t be reproduced.