Ethics Of 3d Printing

The world we live in today is facing a numerous amount of issues; from environmental, to economic, to social and political complexities and instabilities. The capitalist market has adopted an “aggressive” growth strategy, and businesses have as a primary goal generating the maximum amount of profit possible, leaving no room for collectivistic efforts. Along with these problems ethical responsibility is another issue businesses and individuals have to face.
Our technology is continuously making things more and more accessible to us in a global matter, which has lead to an unsustainable way of living. Change is necessary for individuals and organizations towards being environmentally sustainable, while being profitable and ethical. Designers

play a very important role for the improvement of these issues and for their possible solutions. There is need for innovations and there is room for many opportunities. Three-dimensional (3D) printing or what is called “additive manufacturing,” can me a means for this change and will eventually reshape entire industries. In this paper, I will discuss how 3D printing is an innovation that will change the technology, pharmaceutical and consumer product industries, towards a “Shared Economy”.
The technology advancements and the “Internet of Things” have shaped the world we live in today and will further change manufacturing, transportation, and the overall economy of the future.

3D printing has already been adopted by companies and individuals allowing them to develop an infinite number of physical products. “Open source software” is used for these products, making the consumer, seller and manufacturer interact and innovate, leading individuals to become both the consumer and producer of goods. The open source software and the affordable prices of 3D printers today will allow the idea of a “Shared Economy” to diffuse and to become adopted by a vast amount of members of our

system.
The production process of goods with 3D printing is an “additive” process making it very different from traditional manufacturing which is a “subtractive” process. Manufacturing requires the extraction of resources, labor, production, transportation, etc. creating infinite waste, costs and numerous other problems. 3D printing has the ability to create high-quality products, at almost zero marginal costs and zero waste. It creates layer by layer the good using “one-tenth” of the materials traditional manufacturing would use. Because each printer can create an infinite variety of products, they have the ability to create their own parts if necessary and customize/personalize goods. 3D printing emphasizes on the durability and recyclability of products using sustainable materials and allowing operations to be done globally.
Internet platforms, where individuals can present their products have become an upcoming trend in the past years and will change further by the use of 3D printing. Internet websites have a very low cost which can become distribution platforms for individuals to buy or sell software and products at very low costs. An example of such a platform is Etsy, through connecting suppliers and users that can post pictures of goods, or personally crafted products, communicate with customers for any necessary information and transaction goes directly to the producer, while the platform earns some present of sales. Today most individuals in developed countries have smartphones, tables and computers with internet access at any time and any place, allowing them to interact and make purchases in fast and safe matters. 3D printers have the ability to produce and distribute physical goods almost anywhere and within people’s homes. By the adoption to such technologies, we can all become producers of our own goods and make a shift in the manufacturing and consumption processes that occur today. In the long-run, leading companies might no longer dominate the market and the huge inequality gap we are facing as a world could improve by the accessibility of smaller players in this market through 3D printing.
Individuals will have the ability to create an infinite variety of goods which can be designed in a personalized matter. Materials used for these products can be from other goods previously owned, which are malted and then used for the new design. There is only human involvement for the design stage, which is something revolutionary since there is no waste of time on details that take up time and money. This allows individuals to really elaborate on designs; which can then be sold to other individuals who wish to make their own products, but do not have the right knowledge or skills to use the design software required for the 3D printers. Household products today, such as home cleaners, utensils, etc that require repeat purchases lead users to spend time and money, while creating immense environmental issues. With 3D printing, users can create their own household products using environmentally friendly materials at low costs. By making a 3D printer your “household item” individuals can save up on costs and efforts, while becoming part of the shared economy.
Another industry in which 3D printers will change and foster the idea of a “Shared Economy” is the Technology industry. Not only new innovative products can be created, but 3D printing will play an important role on how replacements and improvements are made on designs as well as the supply chain needed to carry out these parts. 3D printing has the ability no create any kind of product, ranging from many fields and industries, which allows it to create replacement parts when something is not functioning anymore. SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, designs, manufactures and launches reusable rockets. It has “revolutionized space technology” and has as an ultimate goal to enable life on other planets. The company is now sending 3D printers to the International Space Station (ISS) so that astronauts can replace and assemble most, if not all parts of spacecrafts on-demand. Up to today, replacement parts and spares were carried on spacecrafts, or had to be sent through supply chains when something needed replacement. 3D printers will “cut down” on supply chains and at the same time create more durable products for any kind of industry and custom-made products by individuals.
Technology products, require a long period of time before their launch.

Prototypes are tested and if some small element of the design does not work and requires change, all the steps and operations must be redesigned and repeated, adding extra costs. With 3D printing, changes can be done at the design stage much more easily, time and cost efficiently.
Another industry that 3D printing is already revolutionizing is the pharmaceutical industry. Medicine is produced in enormous amounts and sometimes errors are created as well. Tools and equipment needed can also be created with 3D printers making them more innovative for better performance and comfort.
3D printers will allow improvements to happen more easily at the production stages and the “extreme productivity” needed will occur through printing. “Bio-printing” is being developed by using patents for printing human cells. This allows the creation body prosthetics, bones, human tissue, organs, etc for the replacement of any part needed for a human body very quickly and easily modifiable. By using the same cells of the same individual for the creation of new ones the chances of rejection from the body are greatly

reduced.
Body prosthetics already exist, but with 3D printing the innovation of these can further flourish since new technologies can be incorporated into the designs. Prosthetics for children often had to be created after their body was fully developed at very high costs. With printers, prosthetics can be made to perfectly suit the body of the individual and also make custom-made designs wanted by the person. 3D prosthetics can cost from only $50, compared to the thousands of dollars required to buy a prosthetic in the markets. This enables more people to afford them, at any age and in a more timely matter.
Everyone must play a part in order to move towards a more sustainable and shared future, either this is designers, businesses, individuals and the government. 3D printing fosters change towards a “Shared Economy” through the development of new products, innovative improvements and customizable goods all done in a sustainable matter, without creating more inequality issues and other such problems. Through enabling the consumer to be the producer and vise versa, will “think global and act locally” contributing to a more “collaborative culture”.