3D Printing for Development in the Global South
This book seeks to answer the question: will 3D printing alleviate poverty and benefit poor communities to any meaningful extent in the Global South? Thomas Birtchnell and William Hoyle assess the development potential of this new technology through concrete case studies such as 3D printed children’s sunglasses in Guatemala and fair-trade filament from recycled waste plastic in India.
Will 3D printing alleviate poverty to any meaningful extent in the Global South?
From the international 3D4D Challenge in 2012 to social enterprises in India, Haiti and Iraq, Thomas Birtchnell and William Hoyle delve into the world of 3D printing for development in the Global South. Together they discuss the potential which the technology offers to communities in developing countries and the work that is still to be done to maximise the promise of localised manufacturing and the circular economy.
Can “bottom up” manufacturing through 3D printing benefit poor communities and prevent continued cycles of aid which offer temporary relief but limited long term solutions?
With a foreword from Adrian Bowyer, creator of the RepRap Project, the book uses international case studies, beginning with the 3D4D Challenge, to explore the next industrial revolution. The studies highlight the ideas emerging in 3D4D, addressing the “Goldilocks” zone of factors that need to come together to enable mass adoption in developing countries.
The book gives a play by play of the Challenge from conception to finale, with profiles on the challenge’s seven finalists and an in depth view of the international workshops which brought contestants together to share and expand on ideas. From the competition presentation at London’s 3D Printshow to the ventures using additive manufacturing around the world, Birtchnell and Hoyle will introduce you to the spirit of design, making and rabodé with the iLab//Haiti, 3D printed children’s sunglasses in Guatemala and fair-trade filament from recycled waste plastic in India.
An engaging introduction to 3D printing for development, this work is well worth a look for anyone interested in this potentially limitless technology, international aid and the future of personalised manufacturing.