The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has used a 3-D printer to produce nano fibers. This helps avoid the need for cleanroom and will make the process cheaper. A 3-D printed micro fluidic device enables in creating uniform nano fibers which provides flexibility to the structure of the webs. The technique uses emitters or nozzles which have holes made through them. The fluid to be electro spun is poured into the holes until the holes are full. An electric field is applied to develop nano webs.

Nano fibers are produced by controlled chaos which in a way leads to variability in fiber size and less uniformity of the web. In other words, there is some sort of self-assembling process when the fibers are dispersed by electric field and collected on collectors such as screens. Patterns are obtained based on the nature of the collector. Nano fiber production techniques are evolving to have high productivity and have better control of the fiber and web uniformity.

The 3-D device is a step in the right direction. A nano fiber is a fiber with a diameter of 100 nanometers or less. Researchers are using nano fibers to make sensors that change color as they absorb chemical vapors.