Bionic manufacturing is a technical and engineering field that aims to mimick living organisms and their functions. This field is driven by the quest to find efficient and applicable ways to replicate natural systems and capabilities. Research has gone into creating functional robotic arms that improve the endurance, precision, and strength of a human-sized arm, as well as the development of manufacturing processes that allow the creation of parts in a fraction of the time that it would take to 3D print them.
Traditional manufacturing methods are limited in the number of parts they can produce, and usually require multiple steps to make a single product. A single CNC machining setup, for example, has to produce multiple parts at the same time in order to be efficient. A single part may take days or even weeks to create using this method, depending on the complexity of the shape.
The idea behind bionic manufacturing is to use living organisms such as plants and animals, to produce complex, functional parts more efficiently. This concept involves using organisms either on their own, or in combination with other materials. One example of this is using a mollusk, such as a clam, to produce parts with nanometer-scale features. The clam is able to extrude proteins from its body in silk-like strands, which can then be used as a matrix in which to embed other materials, creating a functional part.
Another approach to bionic manufacturing may be to use bacterial cells such as E. coli. to produce parts. Bacterial cells have tiny nano-sized machines inside them, known as ribosomes, which can be used to create a vast array of parts. By selecting the right bacteria and controlling its environment, scientists are able to design and produce parts with specified characteristics, such as materials properties and dimensions, which are difficult to replicate using traditional manufacturing methods.
Ultimately, bionic manufacturing may provide a more efficient option for producing complex products. By using living organisms and controlling their environment, scientists can create parts with intricate features and properties that were previously impossible to achieve. In the future, this technology may even allow us to create parts and products that can interact with the environment in a more sophisticated and beneficial way.
