3D printing technology in the Nera Plant laboratories at the Nera Monastery

As you well know, the iMAKE3D team offers all the services related to the purchase of a 3D printer, from consultancy, which consists of the initial interview, in which the customer explains to us what his needs are, and we propose the options on the printer best suited to him. Then comes training, where the customer receives training, basic or advanced, on how to use the 3D printer.

3D printing technology has applicability in various fields, exemplified by us in another article that you can find Here. What seems most difficult is for people to know how to apply and use this technology effectively.

3D printing is perhaps not the most suitable when we talk about production, because this is where a whole 3D printing system comes into play, otherwise called «3D printer farm”, but it is applied and provides a particularly important input in the prototyping process.

And, to move on to the topic of this article, we will tell you about our surprise and joy when we learned of the initiative of the nuns of the Nera Monastery to embrace 3D printing technology and integrate this technology into their work at the Monastery, thus purchasing an Ultimaker 3 Extended 3D printer from us.

How and why they did it, we’ll let Aunt Marina tell you, who came to visit us last week to take a course on 3D printing and with whom we also spoke.

Tell us about yourself. What is your profession, what do you do?

Since I am here as a representative of our Monastery, I will tell you a few words about us, the community of nuns of the Nera Monastery, who we are and what activities we carry out.

The Nera Monastery was born in 1996, on the initiative and thanks to the efforts of Dr. Pavel Chirilă, a specialist in naturopathic care and promoter of the concept of Christian medicine.

Seeking and finding the profound meaning of life, over 100 nuns live in this monastery, who have dedicated their lives to the living God and to the care of serving every human soul that crosses their threshold. Values ​​such as faith, sincerity, honesty, seriousness, professionalism, altruism, transparency, courage, firmness – have great value in their life.

In addition to prayer, the main work of every monk, the main activity of the nuns of the Nera Monastery is the preparation of natural products: food supplements (syrups, tinctures, capsules, herbal teas, oils, vinegars, jams, honey, spices), but also a range of organic cosmetics (solid and liquid soaps, creams, deodorants, shampoos, lotions and facial waters).

All Nera Plant products are made according to its own recipes, rooted in ancient traditional and monastic cures, in the two laboratories – Nera Plant Laboratories – of the monastic settlement. The preparation processes are aimed at preserving the natural properties of the plants used, because medicinal plants are a priceless gift from God to people.

Nera Plant products have two great qualities: they are made with the soul, from the heart, with prayer and, secondly, they are made with natural ingredients, carefully selected, from plants collected by mothers in clean areas protected from pollution.

You can find more details about our business

Painting, sculpture, translations and Sallitic music are the other concerns and activities of the nuns. On a social level, Mănăstirea Nera organizes activities with children and young people, including meditations offered free of charge to students, both those in primary classes and those preparing for their high school diploma or admission to university.

How did you first interact (discover) 3D printing and why?

We learned from some knowledge about 3D printing, but we were left with this information and until now we have not needed to use it for our laboratory work.

Why did you choose the Ultimaker brand?

After carrying out a search among the sites we had access to, we concluded that the one featuring this brand was the most professional in terms of presentation and organization of information and that it could best meet our needs.

Why did you choose iMAKE3D?

I chose iMAKE3D because of the team I discovered here. They are a team of friendly and professionally trained people who responded promptly to our requests.

What will you use the Ultimaker 3 3D printer for?

We want to produce prototypes/molds for our new ceramic bottles and jars that we will use as containers for the natural preparations we produce. The fact that this technique allows the customization of the finished product, without additional costs and in a relatively short time, compared to other processes, is of great use to us. Furthermore, when you want to give life to an original idea, verifying and developing the design in all its details, 3D printing seems the most suitable method.

Did the 3D printing training at the iMAKE3D showroom help you?

Yes, the 3D printing course held at the iMAKE3D showroom helped us to familiarize ourselves with the characteristics of this process and those concerning the printer controls, up to the creation of the finished product.

How difficult/easy was it to work on a 3D printer?

When you try completely new things, it’s natural that it’s harder at first. But as we become familiar with working with the 3D printer and discover all its possibilities, everything will be easier.

What activities did you carry out during the training?

I learned how to set up and load the printer with supplies and how the printer’s printing software works. I then did a print test.

How have you seen technology change over time? What do you think will happen in the next decade? How do you see the industry changing?

Technology seems to be the most dynamic field. If in the beginning everything moved slowly due to the fact that the devices had enormous dimensions for us, today we can talk a lot about nanotechnologies. The possibilities for the development of technology are enormous and it has penetrated deeply into all spheres of activity, but also into man’s personal life. But no matter how much good it can do, so much damage it can do. It’s like a knife: you can hurt yourself with it or you can use it. We need discernment. And when we notice that all the gadgets and devices are driving us away from each other, then we really need to take action. They don’t control us, but we are the ones who use them.

How do you see 3D printing technology developing in the future?

Printing times will probably be significantly reduced, through greater precision, and there will be the possibility of maximum and rapid correction of errors that occur. Furthermore, it is very important that the software part is also specialized. Once its real possibilities and growing need in many areas of life and industry have been verified, it cannot be ruled out that it will become more accessible, both in terms of price, but also in terms of distribution