Laboratory Design Newsletter - July/August 2018

INSIDE JULY|AUGUST FROM THE EDITORS OF R&D MAGAZINE

DEPARTMENTS

3 WHAT’S NEW ON LABDESIGNNEWS.COM

18 NEW PROJECTS

FEATURES

1 Inspired renovation

1 A bottom-up approach to laboratory design

9 Product inspection: The importance of worker safety

12 Reducing the risk of Legionnaires’ in healthcare facilities

14 Build a flexible and collaborative lab while maximizing space

16 HVAC’s role in the net zero facility

EDITOR'SNOTE

There are a number of challenges facing lab design/build experts—cost and availability of equipment and supplies, as well as ordering and transporting them, are among such concerns. Time is also a factor in many lab builds or renovations.

A relatively new innovation, 3D printing, could offer a solution to such challenges. First developed in the 1980s, 3D printing has picked up steam in recent years and has been used in a number of fields—medical devices and prosthetics, surgical models, dental molds, aircraft parts and entire, road-ready cars. Novelty keepsakes have also taken off, proving that such technology isn’t exclusively for big labs and major companies. For example, a coworker has a four-inch figurine of himself perched proudly on his desk. If you’ve got the cash, then a 3D printer could be yours.

How does this relate to laboratory design? The
technology could allow for rapid, easy construction
of scientific facilities. The technology can be
operated at any time of day, and can produce
building materials much faster than waiting for
concrete to dry or supplies to be brought to the
construction or renovation site. Designs can be
customized, measured and reviewed before being
produced, and they can be manufactured at a very
high speed. The technology could be used for other
structures like houses—some have even suggested
that 3D-printed houses could be used to help solve
homelessness. The medical industry could see
shorter wait times for vital organ transplants, as
well as a decrease in animal testing and even organ
trafficking. The possibilities are virtually limitless.

Of course, with any new technology comes drawbacks. Using 3D printers to construct labs and healthcare facilities could put many people out of work, since it takes fewer people to use a 3D printer than it does to build a facility the old-fashioned way. Other industries that provide materials to the lab design field could see job and revenue losses as well.

Since the technology has only been around for a few decades, long-term effects have not yet been observed and thorough standards may still need to be developed. There will be liability concerns, and possible confusion, should a 3D-printed product or structure happen to fail. The machinery is expensive, which could lead to disproportionate distribution of resources among society. Anyone could potentially print anything they want—weapons, counterfeit money, misleading or faulty medical products. This is evident in the recent 3D-printed gun debate happening in the U.S., where there are concerns about standards and regulations surrounding people printing their own firearms.