3D printing essay - Grade: 83 PDF

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Essay about 3D printing and up and coming technologies ...

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Nicole Hoy

000340190

3D Printing Assignment

Have you ever wanted to build something, but couldn’t get to the store to buy the parts to do so? With advancements in technology today, you could potentially print yourself many of the products you desire. 3D printing has become more readily available to consumers in the past few years, some people even have them in their home for personal use. This essay will analyze 3D printing using the Tetrad Analysis, and apply 3 ethical arguments related to the application of the new technology in everyday life. Finally, there will be a consideration of the benefits and pitfalls of 3D printing as an emerging technology, as well as possible future uses. Printing has come a long way from ink cartridges and lasers- today, 3D printing poses a cost effective way to create products, on hand, and in a way which the user chooses.

The Tetrad Analysis is an effective way to explore the benefits, risks, and implications of emerging technologies in a different perspective. To answer first question in the tetrad, “What does 3D printing technology enhance?”, one would argue that it improves the ability to create products and goods on hand. For example, if you needed to fix a hose fitting on your vacuum cleaner, you could potentially design and print the piece as soon as it breaks; you would just have to wait for the printing process to complete. This would lead into the second question, “What does the technology make obsolete?”. 3D printing would reduce the need to travel to the store and buy products as one could print them at home. This in turn would make the purchasing of goods from businesses obsolete. Now we will consider the third aspect of the tetrad, “What does 3D printing retrieve/improve?”. The new technology improves or adds to regular ink and laser printing, rather than being limited to printing 2D figures, the user is able to create 3D products which can be applied in real life situations, such as in health care or creating prototypes for

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automobiles. The final question of the tetrad, “What could the technology reverse into?” focuses more on the risks. If used inappropriately, 3D printing could reverse into the creation of dangerous products, such as weapons. Also, if we rely too much on 3D printing and it were to become less or unavailable, we would have to return to getting all of our products from businesses, rather than creating them on hand. It is obvious that with a developing technology, there are many aspects which need to be considered in order to maintain safety and ethical standards (owenkelly.net, 2011).

There are many science-technological ethical arguments which could be made when considering the application of 3D printing. Here, I will address 3 of the most important ethical arguments that I see emerging from the new technology. First, I would like to consider the safety of 3D bio-printing organs, tissues, and health care related products. As this is a relatively new technology, there is not an abundance of long term evidence supporting the safety of implanting 3D printed organs and tissues into the human body. However, through extensive short term research and careful monitoring for rejection, there have already been numerous trials for 3D printed bone implants with low risk for rejection in the future. The second ethical argument I would like to address would be that even though there is the ability to 3D print these organs and tissues, not every person would be able to afford the procedure. This would mean that those on a higher pay scale would have an advantage, and access to a higher level of healthcare than those from the less wealthy end of the spectrum (ABC Science, 2015). The final ethical dilemma I would like to consider is the potential of 3D printing weapons, specifically guns. There would have to be a new set of laws and weapon controls set in place to ensure their regulation- as they obviously would not be regulated in the same way (i.e. serial number) as a regular firearm or

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weapon would be. This would mean that there would be the potential to have many unknown weapons being created, putting the safety of the public at risk (Inc., 2013).

3D printing has the potential to be a promising upcoming technology, so long as it is not used inappropriately. It allows users to get more creative with the products that they own, and can improve the creativity levels we have in our teaching styles- allowing students to get more hands on, with the possibility of sparking some interest in a technology based career. It would make it easier and more accessible to fix broken equipment if you were able to create what you need yourself. Furthermore, it would reduce the travel expenses and cost to the environment related to travelling for products which could be printed at home. In the future, 3D printing technology is likely to expand, including projects such as printing entirely prosthetic organs for transplants, or entire vehicles. The downside to the technology would include that over use would cause a reduction in sales for businesses- possibly forcing some of the smaller, family owned stores out of business. I also believe that with overuse, communities would feel less welcoming, as less people would be out in the stores buying products each day. Another risk is that there is the potential to have an unregulated group of weapons/unsafe material being created without any monitoring by the government.

There are many benefits and risks which should be considered when one decides to use a 3D printer. Safety is a concern, so are moral and ethical standards. The technology of 3D printing has the potential to have a positive impact in some aspects, however if the technology is overused, or used in appropriately, there is the potential for danger and regression in society. It is important to understand the benefits and risks and to make informed judgements when using new technologies such as 3D printing, in order to keep yourself the people you love safe.

Nicole Hoy

000340190

References

Owenkelly.net (2011, October 17). McLuhan's tetrads: what they are and how they work. Retrieved from: http://www.owenkelly.net/984/mcluhans-tetrads/ The ethics of 3D printers- and the guns they produce. (2013). Inc. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/jill-krasny/ethics-of-3d-printers-guns.html 3D printing raises ethical issues in medicine. (2015). ABC Science. Retrieved from www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2015/02/11/4161675.htm...