The Impact and Application of 3D Printing Technology

Abstract

3D printing also known as Additive manufacturing technology has been dubbed the next big thing and be as equally wide spread as cellular telephone industry. 3D printers print objects from a digital template to a physical 3-dimensional physical object. The printing is done layer by layer (Additive manufacturing) using plastic, metal, nylon, and over a hundred other materials. 3D printing has been found to be useful in sectors such as manufacturing, industrial design, jewellery, footwear, architecture, engineering and construction, automotive, aerospace, dental and medical industries, education, geographic information systems, civil engineering, and many others. It has been found to be a fast and cost effective solution in whichever field of use. The applications of 3D printing are ever increasing and it’s proving to be a very exciting technology to look out for. In this paper we seek to explore how it works and the current and future applications of 3D printing.