Cornell Researchers 3D Print a Loudspeaker

By Brian Parker

Apoorva Kiran and Robert MacCurdy, graduate students and researchers at Cornell University’s College of Engineering, have used 3D printing technology to create a fully functional loudspeaker, reports the Cornell Chronicle. Every component of the device was created through 3D printing, using multiple materials including plastic housing, a conductive coil made of silver ink, and a magnet made of a specially crafted blend of strontium ferrite.

Hod Lipson, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering believes that 3D printing is only in its nascent stages, despite the recent trend of 3D printers that only print “passive parts.” The challenge in getting this type of 3D printing into homes is building 3D printers that allow for printing several materials at once that require varying temperatures and setting times. However, once the technology is fully realized, consumer-level products will require less outsourcing at the production level and ultimately lead to faster, cheaper products.