One of the hottest topics in the last decade or so has been 3D printing. Almost every issue of ASME magazine has at least one article on 3D printing and several ads for equipment or software to create all sorts of shapes and sizes, from nano size objects like gears to an entire house.
A recent AMSE article describes how the structure of the shell of a lobster could take 3D printing in a direction that would make the 3D printed object considerably stronger. Apparently, the lobster’s shell is made up of hundreds of layers of very small fibers oriented in various directions. This sandwich type construction makes the lobster’s shell both strong and resilient.
The article discusses how 3D printed structural elements could be created, though it is unlikely that these elements would become mainstream any time soon. However, learning about the structure of the lobster’s shell was fascinating. As Jonathan Tran, the faculty member at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia doing this research said, “You get a lobster shell on your finger and you start to wonder, why it is so stiff? Can we mimic it?” The answer seems to be “yes.” I will certainly have a greater respect for these incredible creatures. – Dr Tom
