Technologies
- FDM: melted plastic is pushed out through a nozzle, layer by layer. The most common and cheapest method.
- SLA and MSLA: liquid resin hardens under UV light. Very fine detail.
- SLS and metal printing: a laser fuses powder together. For industry, aviation and medicine.
From patents to living rooms
The RepRap project wanted a printer that could print its own parts. When the FDM patents expired, a wave of cheap open source printers followed. Josef Průša from Prague built a company on RepRap, and its printers now sell all over the world.
What it is used for
Spare parts, prototypes, mounts for cameras and sensors, enclosures for electronics, prostheses, dental crowns and even parts of rocket engines.