How 3D Printing is Changing the World

A wide range of new technologies have been developed recently to enable the process of 3D printing. However, 3D printing processes are often described under the label “additive manufacturing”, as they are very different to traditional 2D paper printing.

3D printing begins with CAD software, where a design is saved and sent to the printer. In this context, the printer is more like a manufacturing machine, where individual cross sections of a design are built upon one another using some form of plastic, polymer, metal, or other material.

The evolution of 3D printing technology is giving new product makers the chance to turn digital prototypes into real objects. There are a number of ways this can take place, with three common processes including selective laser sintering (SLS), fused deposition modeling (FDM), and digital light processing (DLP).

“3D printing has built up an awareness of what’s possible with additive manufacturing,” said Scott McGowan, director of marketing with the 3D printing company, Solid Concepts. “The freedom of design realized when using additive manufacturing for end-use products opens up design possibilities not available with traditional manufacturing methods.”

“It’s also allowed designers and engineers to embrace the prototyping process more fully than ever – giving them the opportunity to go through more design iterations and develop a better product”, said McGowan. What is perhaps most amazing though, is that the accessibility and cost of 3D printing has dropped dramatically in recent years, giving everyday people the ability to actualise their designs.

“It combines what I learned in robotics, machine, CAD and electronics classes,” said one home manufacturer, Rigdon, who added “I never really wanted to work for anybody else, and this was something I could do.”