We're experimenting with building coral out of what coral is made of," Cousteau says. "Nature does things better than we could ever imagine doing. Why not use that lesson in creating a coral structure?"
His skeletons are made of the same material as natural coral, calcium carbonate (which only became printable in the last few years). He's developed three different pore textures and has more than 30 different coral shapes that visually replicate the form of a natural reef. The printed structures—three-by-three-inch tiles or six- to 12-inch-tall towers—are anchored to the ocean floor on trays or integrated directly into existing reefs.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a25121/3d-printing-coral-reefs-ocean-floor/
Wonder what it would cost to custom print a rock scape in your Aquarium?
His skeletons are made of the same material as natural coral, calcium carbonate (which only became printable in the last few years). He's developed three different pore textures and has more than 30 different coral shapes that visually replicate the form of a natural reef. The printed structures—three-by-three-inch tiles or six- to 12-inch-tall towers—are anchored to the ocean floor on trays or integrated directly into existing reefs.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a25121/3d-printing-coral-reefs-ocean-floor/
Wonder what it would cost to custom print a rock scape in your Aquarium?
