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.
Again, the possibilities are virtually limitless.
Therefore it’s up to all of us to use this technology
wisely.
By MaryBeth DiDonna, Editor
The pros and cons of 3D printing
www.labdesignnews.com