3D Printing Applications

This course will help you understand how 3D printing is being applied across a number of domains, including design, manufacturing, and retailing. It will also demonstrate the special capabilities of 3D printing such as customization, self-assembly, and the ability to print complex objects. In addition to business applications, this course will also examine how individuals, including those in developing countries, are using this technology to create solutions to the problems they face. This course will also provide an overview of design thinking and how you can use this framework to develop ideas that can be turned into objects. Learners who complete this course will obtain a rich understanding of the capabilities of 3D printing and how to think about designing objects for this new technology.

• Course Orientation
• You will become familiar with the course, your classmates, and our learning environment. The orientation will also gives you an overview of the entire course.
• Module 1: 3D Printing – A New Way of Making
• In this module, we continue the discussion from the first course with Aric Rindfleisch, and explore further the reasons why 3D printing is considered a paradigm shift and a revolutionary change. We will hear from people working in the field, from academics, venture capitalists, and even lawyers. We will focus mostly on accessible desktop 3D printing but will look at applications across a spectrum of 3D printing technologies.
• Module 2: 3D Printing – On-Demand Manufacturing
• In this module, we will discuss examples of how 3D printing enhances product customization as well as the development of on-demand manufacturing. We will look at how individuals, entrepreneurs, and businesses can leverage the ecosystem to turn ideas into objects. Finally, we will consider the importance of intellectual property issues in 3D printing.
• Module 3: 3D Printing for Development and Education
• In this module, we will consider the role of 3D printing in revolutionizing education and the role it can play in development in underserved communities in both developing and developed countries.
• Module 4: From Ideas to Objects
• The previous three modules have given you an overview of a wide variety of applications of 3D printing. In addition, if you work through the assessments and participate in the discussions, you will see the immense variety of applications shared by your peers. Before you start developing the skills in software and hardware, let's take a look at the process that will help you convert the problems/needs you see around you into potential ideas and, finally, into objects.
• Course Wrap Up
• This brief module contains a course summary, and provides you with the opportunity to share your thoughts about your experience in this course.