3-D printing has recently grown very popular across many industries. This is because of the versatile nature of its application. As a relatively simple technology, 3-D printing can be used in a multitude of ways.
Here are some of the top things that 3-D printers can do:
1. Assist in Education
More and more schools are integrating 3-D printing technologies into their teaching methods. 3-D printers allow students to create prototypes for projects with ease. Through this application, students are better able to connect with the material they are learning about in class through the creation of tangible, related objects.
2. Prototypes
This in particular is the main reason 3-D printing was developed in the first place. Traditional prototypes used to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop, even taking several weeks to produce a single mold. This was not a practical or budget-friendly option.
3-D printing allows prototypes to be fabricated in a mere few hours and at a fraction of the cost of traditional manufacturing.
3. Construction
3-D printing has become a major way in which construction parts and buildings are produced.
Applications used in construction include powder bonding, extrusion, and additive welding. These result in lower labor costs, faster construction, less waste, and more accuracy and complexity in building.