The Design Technology Blog

Author: omar.elgebaly

  • 3D Printing: Piracy

    3D Printing is becoming a new and more advanced technology and is slowly taking a bigger role in the world. However, one of the main concerns of 3D printing today is piracy. Because files are easily copied, users can easily reproduce products as long as they have access to a 3D printer. Today, many torrenting websites make it accessible to download games, music, and movies illegally. However in the future it can all change. The piratebay.com released the statement:

    “We believe that the next step in copying will be made from digital form into physical form. It will be physical objects. Or as we decided to call them: Physibles. Data objects that are able (and feasible) to become physical. We believe that things like three dimensional printers, scanners and such are just the first step. We believe that in the nearby future you will print your spare parts for your vehicles. You will download your sneakers within 20 years.”

    This has some extremely adverse ethical implications to it. As the prices of 3D printing falls, the companies that produce these pirated products will also lose profit. As you can see what happens today with torrented music, games  and movies, people are going to generally take the easier, cheaper way. In the future, this could have some huge implications on major companies. Imagine when 3D printers get so advanced to the point where they can print computers. It could make extremely expensive things virtually free. There is not much a company can do about this as encrypting the files will not fully prevent illegal distribution. These companies will become powerless in the future. With the ability to print everything from clothes to bicycles in the future, everyone is going to take the free route. If that happens, it can lead to a serious collapse in economy as we are a largely capitalistic society today. Before implementing and advancing 3D printing, it is important to address the issue of piracy extensively.

    Source: https://sites.google.com/site/printingin3ditgs/issues

  • Fibreglass – Omar Elgebaly

    Fiberglass is a fibre reinforced glazs which is held together by a plastic matrix. The material itself is lightweight and extremely strong. Common uses of fibre glass include boats, bike frames, windows, surfboards, etc. It’s lightweight and inherent strength yield a reliably weather resistant product, making it extremely versatile in it’s uses. It was developed in World War II as a replacement for molded plywood used in aircraft radars, as it was transparent to microwaves. It’s first civilian application was for boats and soorts car frames. After that, it started gaining acceptance towards the 1950’s. Since then, use of this material has widely broadened.

    It is currently a matter of debate as to whether fibreglass has a negative impact on health. in the 1950’s, fibreglass became a popular alternative for asbestos. As it is widely known asbestos cause deteriorating health effects, people have started wondering as to whether fibreglass displayed similar harmful effects due to their similarities. Although a great deal of debate surrounds this phenomena, it has been agreed upon that fibreglass is an irritant. Skin irritation is assiciated with the thick fibres of  filamentous glass. It has also been known to cause eye and throat irritation. If one is exposed to prolonged exposure, it may cause difficulty in breathing, which goes away once yiu are removed from it’s vicinity. It is also currently a subject of debate on whether it is carcinogenic. Hiwever, sufficient evidence has not yet been provided. It has some environmental implications, one such being is that it is not environmentally degradable. It’s biggest con is it’s disposal.

     

    Sources:

    http://greenhomeguide.com/askapro/question/what-is-the-environmental-footprint-for-manufacturing-fiberglass-windows-i-m-interested-in-fiberglass-because-it-s-supposedly-more-energy-efficient-than-aluminum

    http://www.einstein.yu.edu/administration/environmental-health-safety/industrial-hygiene/fiberglass.aspx

  • Plastic Bags

    Plastic shopping bags, carrier bags or plastic grocery bags are a type of shopping bag made from various kinds of plastic. In use by consumers worldwide since the 1960s, these bags are sometimes called single-use bags, referring to carrying items from a store to a home.. In recent decades, numerous countries have legislation restricting the sale of plastic bags, in a bid to reduce littering and pollution. Traditional plastic bags are usually made from polyethylene, which consists of long chains of ethylene monomers. Ethylene is derived from natural gas and petroleum. The polyethylene used in most plastic shopping bags is either low-density (resin identification code 4) or, more often, high-density. Color concentrates and other additives are often used to add tint to the plastic. Many ethical concerns arise concerning the plastic bag invention however. Firstly, it is not a biodegradable material meaning it could stay for millions of years in an ecosystem without decomposing. Nature cannot decompose it’s structure. This would become an obstacle in the sense that it could have long-lasting consequences. A way to reduce or eliminate the need for plastic bags is to bring your own cloth bags to the supermarket instead of using their plastic bags. Thus they would be losing money and their plastic bags would not make them any money.

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_bag