You’ve probably heard about 3D printing in the news and all the wild things it can do, such as building new prosthetic limbs, or even special types of 3D printers that can print out fully functioning organs or printers that will create ornate sugar cubes. While the rapid manufacturing space has seen marked improvements in machinery and seen a huge surge in popularity, that doesn’t mean it’s a fad that is going to eventually fade away. There is an entire community revolved around 3D printing that is only growing larger and revolutionizing the way we build.
History of 3D Printing
Did you know 3D printing actually began back in 1984? It wasn’t until around 2010 that 3D printers started to become commercially available and the reaction from people and businesses alike using 3D printers was very positive and went viral instantly. That surge has helped it become integrated into our lives more and more every year.
The company 3D Systems Corp. is the leader in the 3D printing industry and just last year they acquired a part of Xerox’s R&D department in Wilsonville, Oregon. This deal allows 3D Systems to directly work out of this hub and provide even more commercially viable 3D printing solutions for all major industries.
3D Printing Community
There is a new type of community coming from 3D printing, too. It is the homegrown, DIY community known as makers. Most 3D printers can be found in “maker spaces” that are typically giant warehouses where people come together to make and create with 3D printers, CNC machines, laser cutters, and other machinery. A new industry has come out of the maker community to sell people’s creations, too.
How 3D Printing Works
The process of 3D printing is working through layers. The printer is considered additive manufacturing because it will be creating a three dimensional object by adding successive layers on top of each other. A 3D printer can use many types of material, too: foam, plastic, sheet metal, liquid–you name it.
Although, there can be a “dark side” to 3D printing. There is not much regulation in the industry and the quality (also known as resolution) of the objects can vary drastically. Also, the 3D printer can eat up quite a bit of power when in use. These are all aspects being ironed out as its commercial viability grows and expands.
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