Wrench 3D Printing Viral Video

Outline
Viral YouTube Video purportedly depicts an adjustable wrench being 'replicated' via a 3D printer.



Brief Analysis
The video is genuine. The 3D printing technology featured in the viral video is certainly real. 3D printing is an emerging technology that is likely to have a profound effect on our everyday lives. 3D printers can already produce complex objects with interlocking and moving parts, including wrenches like the one depicted in the video. (Note that there is an apparent anomaly in the video that has made some commentators question its authenticity. This anomaly is explained in the detailed analysis below.)

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Last updated: 13th July 2011
First published: 13th July 2011
Article written by Brett M. Christensen
About Brett Christensen and Hoax-Slayer

Example


Detailed Analysis
This viral video showing the three dimensional printing of an adjustable wrench, is circulating rapidly via websites, social media and email. The video features theoretical physicist David Kaplan visiting 3D printing technology company Z Corporation where the process is demonstrated by the company's Vice President of Product Management, Joe Titlow. The clip show the "printing" of a replica wrench, which, when complete, is used to tighten a nut in the same way that a "real" wrench would be used.

3D Printing is certainly real and it is quite possible to "print" complex objects – even those with moving or interlocking parts. 3D printing is an emerging technology that has become more and more sophisticated over the last few years. In fact, 3D printing technology is likely to fundamentally change both the manufacturing industry and, ultimately, the way we live our lives.

An article about 3D printing and its potential impact by Michael Weinberg describes the technology thusly:

So what is 3D printing? Essentially, a 3D printer is a machine that can turn a blueprint into a physical object. Feed it a design for a wrench, and it produces a physical, working wrench. Scan a coffee mug with a 3D scanner, send the file to the printer, and produce thousands of identical mugs.

While even today there are a number of competing designs for 3D printers, most work in the same general way. Instead of taking a block of material and cutting away until it produces an object, a 3D printer actually builds the object up from tiny bits of material, layer by layer. Among other advantages, this allows a 3D printer to create structures that would be impossible if the designer needed to find a way to insert a cutting tool into a solid block of material. It also allows a 3D printer to form general-purpose material into a wide variety of diverse objects.

Because they create objects by building them up layer-by-layer, 3D printers can create objects with internal, movable parts. Instead of having to print individual parts and have a person assemble them, a 3D printer can print the object already assembled. Of course, a 3D printer can also print individual parts or replacement parts. In fact, some 3D printers can print a substantial number of their own parts, essentially allowing them to self-replicate.

A number of companies, including Z Corporation, manufacture and sell a range of 3D printers at surprisingly affordable prices. At this point in the rapid evolution of this technology, 3D printing is most commonly used for creating realistic models, prototypes and parts. However, the potential applications are virtually endless and, as the technology becomes more and more sophisticated, we are likely to see more and more such applications put into practice.

Thus, it is certainly possible to "replicate" complex objects, including adjustable wrenches, as depicted in this viral video.

There is an anomaly in the video that has caused some observers to question its authenticity. The main point of contention has been that the wrench recreated by the 3D printer does not appear to be exactly the same as the wrench that David Kaplan took in to be copied and had scanned. The "printed" wrench has a ring at the top of the handle rather than a hole in the handle like the original wrench. However, this apparent anomaly is simply because the 3D scan of the wrench was redesigned in some ways before the copy was produced. A post on the Z Corporation Facebook Page addresses the concerns of a viewer who noticed the anomaly, noting:

[W]hile you are correct in noting the variances between the scanned and printed wrenches, we were certainly not trying to cheat or pull a fast one on viewers. Rather, the objective and message of that particular portion of the video was to demonstrate how easy it is to make changes to a scanned part using 3D software (we were changing the color of the part at the time). Indeed this is the most common way that engineers work with scanned parts – get it into 3D software first: then stretch this, add that, print and see if you’re satisfied with the results – a basic iterative design process. We are strong proponents of iterative design because that process produces better results. Even if no changes were made to the basic structure of the tool, it is very common for engineers to modify a scanned file, for example, to complete the internal workings of a moving part that might not be visible to the scanner. It’s not cheating or deception, just normal processes familiar to users of all 3D scanners. Obtaining a near-exact replica of an object is entirely possible even though that was not shown in the video.

And a YouTube comment on the video posted by a person claiming to be a Z Corporation employee concurs:

As the Z Corp employee in this clip, I can assure you that this is most certainly not faked. The differences you noticed between the original wrench and the printed one were done to demonstrate that once scanned, the geometry can be digitally edited - and then printed. (This is the normal workflow for most of our customers today) In the interest of time, the producers cut the explanation of the editing down.)

In any case, regardless of your take on this particular video, the fact remains that 3D printing is very real, and increasing in sophistication every day. There is simply no doubt that 3D printing technology is already able to produce copies of complex objects such as adjustable wrenches and much more besides.



References
Z Corporation
Object 3D printers
T WILL BE AWESOME IF THEY DON’T SCREW IT UP
Z-Corporation Facebook Page
3D Printer - YouTube

Last updated: 13th July 2011
First published: 13th July 2011
Article written by Brett M. Christensen
About Brett Christensen and Hoax-Slayer