It’s no longer a sci-fi dream. 3D printing is taking over the world… layer by layer.

You’ve probably heard of it – and you’ve almost surely benefited from it somehow, even if you don’t know it. But how exactly does it work? And… can we really print ANYTHING we want now? Find out in this week’s edition of Innovations Explained!

What is a 3D printer?

Let’s start with the source: the 3D printer.

3D printers are quite similar to the classic ink-and paper printer we all know and love (to hate). Of course, there’s one key difference: instead of printing ink onto paper, 3D printers print real objects.

Huh? How?!

Well, it’s part of a process called “additive manufacturing”.

Instead of ink, you add a spool of special printing material to the printer – like plastic, rubber or even something more exotic like chocolate. Next, the printer “prints” the object, layer by layer, according to a design that you’ve given it.

Wait – maybe a GIF will help:

There are MANY types of 3D printers – some are big enough to build entire houses (seriously!) and others can almost fit in your pocket. They all use similar, but slightly different mechanisms to get the job done… but it’s generally based on a robotic arm carefully creating the object layer by layer.

Who uses 3D printers?

Here’s the fun part – pretty much EVERYONE is finding uses for 3D printers.

Although 3D printers were originally designed in the 1980s for manufacturing complicated parts at a fraction of the cost and time, they’re now used in a broad variety of settings.

Car companies and aircraft manufacturers use 3D printers to quickly create test parts for their vehicles. However, we’ve also seen some cool designs made with food… and there’s even a subdivision of 3D printing called “bioprinting” in which organic cells are the source material.

That means we may one day be able to print replacement organs without requiring transplants!

Can anyone 3D print at home?

Yes! Although the future of 3D printing is still vastly untold, it’s already hit the home. Yup – you can even get your own 3D printer!

These days, home 3D printers aren’t just for industrial purposes. They can be quite expensive, though you can find a fully functioning 3D printer at home for decent prices as well. And think about it – you can create almost anything you want as long as you have the design for it!

There’s even a website where people share and sell their 3D printing designs: Thingverse. That means you can download a design, add the right source material, and have it in your hands within seconds!

Are there any drawbacks to 3D printing?

Of course there’s a catch. Naturally, not everything is available for home printing, and not everything is viable either. You’re limited to a few “printable” materials, and the costs can add up. Plus, when you print it yourself, you don’t get a money-back guarantee!

All that said, we think 3D printing is a fascinating innovation. Even thought it’s already more than 30 years old, it’s just now hitting the mainstream – and we expect to see more and more 3D printing in our everyday lives.

What do you think… what would you print if you could print anything you wanted?!