3d printing is the process of making a three-dimensionalsolid object from a digital model. 3d printing, or additive manufacture, is wherelayer upon layer of material is built up to makean object. the beauty of this technique is that almostany shape can be created in this way.
how does 3d printing work video, so, how do you actually print something in3d? there’s a few stages that a project willneed to go through. first, a design for the object needs to becompleted. this computer generated model is sliced intocross-sections for the printer to use as a
guideline. the next step is printing the object. the 3d printer reads the blueprint and laysdown successive layers of material to build themodel. a diverse range of materials can be used suchas plastics, metal, paper and ceramic. as each layer is printed, it sticks to theprevious one to create a cohesive final shape. 3d printers are capable of printing complexlayers that can
form moving parts, like hinges and wheels,as part of the same object. you could build a bicycle - with handlebars,frame, wheels - readily assembled, without the needfor any tools. you just have to leave gaps in the right spots. 3d printing is used across a variety of industriessuch as high-end manufacture, where it’s used forrapid prototyping and research. this allows designers and concept developersthe flexibility to produce parts and models on demand. they are then able to modify these as required.
and finally, 3d printing is pushing healthcareinto new areas. it’s being used to make medical parts suchas custom hearing aids and braces and even to reproduce bodyparts like customised hip implants or prosthetic hands in exactproportions to fit the patient.
