3D-printing helps red-crowned crane get new beak

(chinadaily.com.cn) Updated: 2016-07-19 09:45 Comments

Vets feed Lili, a red-crowned crane with broken beak, at an animal hospital in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, on July 5, 2016. The crane had broken its upper beak when it fought with other cranes in early June. [Photo/VCG]

Workers from a tech company in Guangzhou create plastic beaks with 3D-printing technology on July 2, 2016. The tech company later called the South China University of Technology for help to produce the beak with titanium alloy. [Photo/VCG]

Vets examine modes of artificial beak on July 2, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

A vet marks a mode of artificial beak that fits Lili on July 2, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

Song Changhui, a professor from South China University of Technology, takes the beak made of titanium alloy to the animal hospital on July 10, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

A vet takes Lili to an X-ray machine to examine its beak at an animal hospital in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, on July 10, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

Vets install the artificial beak made of titanium alloy for Lili on July 10, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

Vets trim the artificial beak for Lili on July 10, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

Lili uses its new beak to catch fish in a bucket on July 10, 2016. [Photo/VCG]

Vets examine Lili after installing the artificial beak, and the bird will stay in the animal hospital for a while until it adapts to its new beak. [Photo/VCG]