Printing without boundaries: Transdisciplinary Partnerships Expand Uses for 3D Printers

When most people press “print,” it’s usually a paper document or poster. But when WID researchers hit the print button, it might be for a gel to aid in understanding cancer or a tiny tool for assembling human tissues. They could also be printing artwork or an illustration of the latest in historical literary research.

The possibilities are endless with 3D printing, which is fast becoming a ubiquitous research tool at UW-Madison, thanks in large part to the Advanced Fabrication Laboratory, informally known as the “Fab Lab,” led by the Morgridge Institute for Research, WID’s partner in the Discovery Building.

Click HERE to read more about a few projects from WID researchers and collaborators that incorporate 3D printing into their discipline in a new way and get a glimpse of the revolutionary, unusual and downright cool ways 3D printing is influencing all types of research, from the humanities to the sciences.