The endeavor to develop clean technology, which either reduces or optimizes the use of natural resources, can take many forms. Although the most oft-discussed examples include the development of renewable energy technology or the optimization of resource usage, one example, additive manufacturing technology, is uniquely placed to advance clean technology goals while also being ripe for innovation.
Additive manufacturing, commonly referred to as 3D printing, involves creating an object based on a computer-created design by layering one or more materials, such as plastic, metal, or ceramic. 3D printing is an efficient process that uses only the necessary materials – often recycled – and any additional support material required is typically recyclable. Additionally, 3D printing is well-suited for facilitating innovation due to its customization capabilities, the wide variety of materials available, and the relatively quick turnaround, allowing for iterative improvement.
Given these benefits, it is unsurprising that many applications support 3D printing technologies and innovations. For example, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has developed and produced a 3D-printed rabbit capsule specially configured for holding experiments placed in the extreme environment of a test reactor. In a press release about the new capsule, ORNL noted that this innovative use of 3D printing technology “pave[s] the way for the use of other additively manufactured components in [this]… and other highly regulated industries that have stringent material composition, design, and qualification standards,” especially where the object is difficult to manufacture conventionally.
Additionally, wind turbine rotors, which rely on complex shapes and materials, are traditionally developed and manufactured through resin infusion technology, where fibers are placed into a mold and resin is infused into that mold. However, when customers seek improved flexibility in the design to adapt to the turbine’s location, 3D printing “offers the possibility of producing components directly on site, and provides greater flexibility to continuously adjust molds and components.” Orbital Composites, which broadly strives for innovation in additive manufacturing in various contexts, aims to use its expertise to bring on-site manufacturing of wind turbine blades over 100 meters long.
The previous example exemplifies how additive manufacturing innovations can be applied to large-scale uses, and that benefit is not limited to wind power. The Rapid RUNNERS project, also developed by ORNL, seeks to create 3D-printed runners, or rotating parts of a hydropower turbine that turn the movement of water into electricity. Traditionally, due to their complexity, these parts were manufactured almost exclusively overseas, which is no longer required. Moreover, additive manufacturing allows for producing “near-net-shape” parts that are not up to the desired specifications but may be quickly finished with traditional metal fabrication techniques, reducing wait times and the loss of renewable energy capacity.
These examples exemplify just a few ways in which 3D printing innovation can assist clean technologies, and like other forms of innovation, inventors and businesses should be aware of the opportunities available to them to obtain intellectual property protection for their innovations more quickly.
Ryan J. Schermerhorn is a partner and registered patent attorney with the intellectual property law firm Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP. He may be reached at [email protected].
Christopher Zahn is a patent agent at Marshall Gerstein.Marshall Gerstein
DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice or a substitute for obtaining legal advice from an attorney. Views expressed are those of the author and are not to be attributed to Marshall, Gerstein & Borun LLP or any of its former, present, or future clients.