3D printing: layers build complex objects

3D printing builds objects layer by layer with high precision.

It starts from digital blueprints.

Materials like plastics, liquids, or powders are deposited and fused.

Fused deposition modeling uses continuous plastic filament to print.

3D printing began in the 1980s as rapid prototyping technology.

Charles Hull patented stereolithography in 1986 using ultraviolet light.

Stereolithography hardens liquid polymers layer by layer with UV light.

3D printing creates complex hollow shapes and lightweight internal parts.

Additive manufacturing is an industrial technology for mass production.

3D printing reduces material waste compared to traditional manufacturing.

Owning a 3D printer in the 1980s cost more than 300,000 dollars.

Today 3D printing is used by both hobbyists and industrial makers.

Additive manufacturing and 3D printing are often interchangeable terms.

3D printing turns digital designs into precise physical objects fast.