Researchers Use 3D Printing To Help Restore And Grow Dwindling Coral Population
By Alexa Heah, 01 Sep 2022
Climate change threatens much of Earth’s wildlife, including the ocean’s coral reefs. And though these beautiful ecosystems aren’t often talked about, it’s believed they directly or indirectly benefit up to one billion people worldwide.
According to Resource Watch, coral reefs provide a source of food and livelihood to many, reduce wave energy and protect shorelines, contribute to tourism, and more. However, due to problems such as overfishing, coastal development, poorly discharged sewage, and pollution, more than half of the world’s coral reefs have suffered.
In a bid to slow down the decline and hopefully restore these important underwater colonies, researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) have tapped on Formlabs’ 3D printing to develop repeatable, customized parts that could aid coral reef research and preservation.
The team used two Form 2 and two Form 3 stereolithography (SLA) printers, and a Fuse 1 selective laser sintering (SLS) printer, to produce sample housings and components for in-house aquaria, which are specific structures built to allow scientists to study corals and how to improve their resilience to the rising temperatures of our oceans.
By figuring out how corals can withstand the changing environments on Earth, the researchers can then work on cultivating new species of the organism that will be better able to thrive in the age of climate change.
Not only does 3D printing enable scientists to standardize and improve the accuracy of the research, but it also keeps the cost of experiments lower, and allows the design of the samplers created to be open-source so other teams around the world can conduct research too.
“The automation of sampling was an appealing idea to improve our science and improve the ease of carrying out that science. You can have a synchronized sampling time that shows exactly what’s happening in the water chemistry at different sites,” explained Nate Formel.
“3D printing allowed us to maintain the complexity of the research we wanted to carry out, and do it for a fraction of the cost,” he added.
Initially, the program started with the most common form of 3D printing—a desktop fused deposition modeling unit (FDM), but quickly realized FDM prints weren’t watertight.
The researchers then moved on to SLA technology with the Form 2 and Form 3 printers, thus creating watertight samplers made out of PVC pipe and 3D-printed parts as a lower-cost option to the usual acrylic housings.
“We now have these very customized 3D-printed components that have the necessary connection points and through-holes to allow us to collect water samples. The original sampler design that motivated all of this, we stopped making it for US$1,000 and started making it for US$220,” the group explained.
At the moment, Formel and his team are maintaining multiple aquarium systems in the Experimental Reef Lab (ERL) at the University of Miami, stimulating different ocean conditions to gather data.
Plus, by creating a 3D-printed housing for the feeders, the scientists managed to automate the feeding of the corals throughout the night, doing away with the need for people to be present at all times and further standardizing the entire experiment.
Hopefully, by coming up with these 3D designs and making the blueprints open source, the team’s knowledge can be spread across the globe for more scientists to join in on the fight to restore the world’s coral populations.
“One term we use is ‘democratize science.’ We want to make it easier for everyone to use the same tools, and these printers have really helped us step up that effort,” Formel concluded.
[via Formlabs / National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association]