1. What is 3D printing?

3D printing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The creation of a
3D printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive process an object is created by
laying down successive layers of material until the object is created. 3D printing enables you to
produce complex shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing methods. It involves
layering materials, like plastics, composites or bio-materials to create objects that range in shape,
size, rigidity and color. 

2. How does it work?

It takes a combination of top-of-the-line software, powder-like materials and precision tools to create
a three-dimensional object from scratch.

It all starts with a 3D model. There are many different software tools available. For beginners the
Tinkercad platform is recommended (it is free and it works in browser; it doesn’t need installation).

The first step of any 3D printing process is 3D modeling. Modeling allows printers to customize their
product down to the tiniest detail. The model is exported as a printable file (such as .STL or .OBJ).
Once a model is created, it’s time to “slice” it. Since 3D printers cannot conceptualize the concept of
three dimensions, like humans, engineers need to slice the model into layers in order for the printer
to create the final product. The „slicing” also produces a G-code file containing instructions tailored
to a specific type of 3D printer.

When the modeling and slicing of a 3D object is completed, it’s time for the 3D printer to finally take
over. It essentially adds hundreds or thousands of 2D prints on top of one another to make a three-
dimensional object.

3. Short history

First, the idea of 3D printing appeared in the 1940s and 1950s and it as described as a "molecular
spray". In 1974, David E. H. Jones laid out the concept of 3D printing . Early additive manufacturing
equipment and materials were developed in the 1980s. In 2010s, it is still the case that casting,
fabrication, stamping, and machining are more prevalent than additive manufacturing in
metalworking, but AM is now beginning to make significant inroads, and with the advantages of
design for additive manufacturing, it is clear to engineers that much more is to come. As of 2020, 3D
printers have reached the level of quality and price that allows most people to enter the world of 3D
printing.

4. Applications

a) Food industry

A large variety of foods are appropriate candidates, such as chocolate and candy, and flat foods
such as crackers, pasta, and pizza. NASA is looking into the technology in order to create 3D
printed food to limit food waste and to make food that is designed to fit an astronaut's dietary
needs.
 b) Fashion industry

3D printing has entered the world of clothing, with fashion designers experimenting with 3D-printed
bikinis, shoes, and dresses. Vanessa Friedman, fashion director and chief fashion critic at The New
York Times, says 3D printing will have a significant value for fashion companies down the road,
especially if it transforms into a print-it-yourself tool for shoppers.

c) Cultural heritage

In the last several years 3D printing has been intensively used by in the cultural heritage field for
preservation, restoration and dissemination purposes. Many Europeans and North American
Museums have purchased 3D printers and actively recreate missing pieces of their relics and
archaeological monuments. Museums of art started using the 3D printing tehnique to create
souvenirs and to sell through an online platform digital models of the artifacts.

d) Medical field

There are many other fields in which the 3D printing is used such as transportation industry, safety
industry or education industry but I believe the medical field has most benefits from this tehnique.

The use of 3D printing in the health sector began in mid 1990s with anatomical modeling for bony
reconstructive surgery planning. Patient-matched implants were a natural extension of this work,
leading to truly personalized implants that fit one unique individual.

In March 2014, surgeons used 3D printed parts to rebuild the face of a motorcyclist who had been
seriously injured in a road accident. In May 2018, 3D printing has been used for the kidney transplant
to save a three-year-old boy.

The flexible approach to 3D fabrication is widely used across various disciplines from biomedical
sciences where they are used to create complex bone structures and human tissue to robotics where
they are used in the creation of soft robots with movable parts.

3D printing has also been employed by researchers in the pharmaceutical field. During the last few
years there's been a surge in academic interest regarding drug delivery with the aid of AM
techniques. The hearing aid and dental industries are expected to be the biggest area of future
development using the custom 3D printing technology

5. Conclusions

The 3D printing industry is growing at a very fast pace, with the potential to impact many markets.
3D printing has applications in numerous fields and is only just starting to leave its mark in medicine.

3D printing has also improved the prosthetics field. Instead of spending hundreds of thousands of
dollars on a new hand, arm or leg with traditional prosthetic techniques, 3D printers can provide a
similar look and feel for as low as $50. Also, this technology has the ability to change the medical
industry as we know it and reduce the drastically-high number of patients on the organ donation
waitlist. One of the key advantages of 3D printing is the ability to produce very complex shapes or
geometries that would be otherwise impossible to construct by hand