This page was part of an MTU course MSE4777 OA and MSE4777 OB/MSE5777/EE4777/EE5777: Open-source 3-D printingPlease leave comments using the talk page. The course runs in the Fall semester. It is not open edit.Read more...
Broad and/or obvious patent claims for 3-D printing technology may hamper the open-source 3-D printing community's ability to innovate. Previous work on an algorithm protected 3-D printing materials. This page is part of a MTU Open Source 3-D Printing class project to investigate 3-D printing concepts using TRIZ and is presented here as a defensive publication of prior art to help identify obvious 'inventions' for 3-D printing.
Examiners: The ideas on this page dated Dec 3, 2015 and Nov 29, 2016 were developed by university students with less than a semester of formal 3-D printing experience (or by an instructor in class) and thus should be considered unpatentable because of obviousness to any person skilled in the art of additive manufacturing.
Appropedians: This page is open edit. Please fee free to add ideas and sign them below with ~~~~ or to use any of the ideas to built better open-source 3-D printers.


  1. Print in vacuum to avoid contamination Joshua (talk) 07:30, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  2. Print with inert gas for GMAW 3DP Joshua (talk) 07:30, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  3. Print with inert gas injected into plastic to reduce weight Joshua (talk) 07:30, 1 December 2015 (PST)
    1. voxel plastic balls Joshua (talk) 07:44, 1 December 2015 (PST)
    2. foam print Joshua (talk) 07:44, 1 December 2015 (PST)
    3. foam infill Joshua (talk) 07:44, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  4. Print with inert gas injected into metal to reduce weight Joshua (talk) 07:30, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  5. Print with inert gas injected into ceramic to reduce weight Joshua (talk) 07:30, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  6. Print with inert gas around object to avoid ionizing radiation from ruining resolution in SLA Joshua (talk) 07:30, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  7. Print with inert gas atmosphere while exposing to ionizing radiation to set up location of voxel Joshua (talk) 07:30, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  8. Print with inert gas inside a sol for insulation Joshua (talk) 07:32, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  9. Print with inert gas to create foam to 3DP isolation Joshua (talk) 07:32, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  10. Print with inert gas in hyper cold environment to have inert gas solid Joshua (talk) 07:32, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  11. Print with inert gas in vacuum to have 3D printed gas in space Joshua (talk) 07:32, 1 December 2015 (PST)
    1. Use for advertising Joshua (talk) 07:32, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  12. Print with inert gas injected into window in final step for low 3 glass multipane windows in 3DP home Joshua (talk) 07:35, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  13. Print with inert gas injected into walls in final step for energy efficient 3DP home Joshua (talk) 07:35, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  14. Print with inert gas injected into ceiling/floor in final step for energy efficient 3DP home Joshua (talk) 07:35, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  15. Blow inert gas with pressure during FFF to improve resolution of fine prints Joshua (talk) 07:35, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  16. Blow inert gas at 3D print at end of print to remove from print bedJoshua (talk) 07:35, 1 December 2015 (PST)
    1. Use this to automate multiprints Joshua (talk) 07:35, 1 December 2015 (PST)
    2. Use for batch printingJoshua (talk) 07:35, 1 December 2015 (PST)
    3. Use for scaled productionJoshua (talk) 07:35, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  17. Cool motors of 3DP to drive higher speeds with inert gasJoshua (talk) 07:35, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  18. Print head as spaceship - use inert gas jets to move head into position for 3DP --Joshua (talk) 07:37, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  19. Print head as sail boat - use inert gas jets to move head into position for 3DP --Joshua (talk) 07:37, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  20. Surface for printing is "bed" of moving inert gas - shifts to position under printhead Joshua (talk) 07:37, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  21. For SLA printing deposit inert powder as filler to allow for overhangs Joshua (talk) 07:39, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  22. For SLA printing deposit inert active material to add functionality while being caged inside print Joshua (talk) 07:39, 1 December 2015 (PST)
    1. e.g. electronics
    2. e.g. LED
    3. e.g. gas sensor
  23. Print with inert powder as filler in FFF to allow for lower costs Joshua (talk) 07:39, 1 December 2015 (PST)
    1. e.g. for dumping waste to add weight
    2. e.g. to avoid overhangs as internal fill
  24. Could have 2 print heads - one FFF and one dump powder for save reasons as above Joshua (talk) 07:39, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  25. Use inert pellets as fill in large 3DP - as in concrete aggregate 3DPJoshua (talk) 07:43, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  26. Cool 3DP with inert liquid during print Joshua (talk) 07:48, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  27. Maintain temperature of 3DP to avoid crystalization by immersing in inert liquid during printing Joshua (talk) 07:48, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  28. 3DP with inert fluid - and freeze in location - print ice, print coolants at lower T -- Joshua (talk) 07:48, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  29. 3DP with fluid to allow for overhangs, bridges, and drain when complete --Joshua (talk) 07:48, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  30. Float 3DP components into place on inert fluid Joshua (talk) 07:48, 1 December 2015 (PST)
  31. Second head depositing fluid in chamber of solid 3DP -- Joshua (talk) 07:52, 1 December 2015 (PST)
    1. self healing - if the fluid reacts with air (if it was printed in inert gas or vacuum) -- Joshua (talk) 07:52, 1 December 2015 (PST)


1. Print PET under mineral oil or somthing to elinimate the hydolization from happening. --Pjgoreck (talk) 07:54, 3 December 2015 (PST)

2. Print under CO2 or argon like welding shelding gas--Pjgoreck (talk) 07:54, 3 December 2015 (PST)

3. Dry PET thrrough a long tube as it is being drawn through by blowing hot dry air through the pipr like a counterflow heat exchanger. --Pjgoreck (talk) 07:54, 3 December 2015 (PST)

4. Do #3 as it is being printed.--Pjgoreck (talk) 07:54, 3 December 2015 (PST)

5. Print underwater with pet to cool faster for objects that need to solidify quickly while printing.--Pjgoreck (talk) 07:54, 3 December 2015 (PST)

6. Print PET in a vacum so the water is drawn out as printed t prevent hydolization.--Pjgoreck (talk) 07:54, 3 December 2015 (PST)

7. Print whipped food in a vacum, so when removed to atmosphereic resssure it expands, much like the manufacuting of cheeto puffs, or puffed rice.--Pjgoreck (talk) 07:54, 3 December 2015 (PST)

8. Print out of a head using air pressure insead of driving filament with stepper--Pjgoreck (talk) 07:54, 3 December 2015 (PST)


9. Print onto sand to avind sticking--Pjgoreck (talk) 07:54, 3 December 2015 (PST)

10. Print deep fryed batter into hot vegatable oil.--Pjgoreck (talk) 07:54, 3 December 2015 (PST)

11. Do # 10 as the batter is frying, so thre are many fried surfaces.--Pjgoreck (talk) 07:54, 3 December 2015 (PST)

FA info icon.svg Angle down icon.svg Page data
Authors Peter Gorecki, Joshua M. Pearce
License CC-BY-SA-3.0
Language English (en)
Related 0 subpages, 2 pages link here
Impact 112 page views
Created December 1, 2015 by Joshua M. Pearce
Modified February 6, 2023 by Felipe Schenone
Cite as Peter Gorecki, Joshua M. Pearce (2015–2023). "Obvious 3D printer technology based on 39. Inert environment". Appropedia. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
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