The Process
A 3D printer connects to a computer and receives a file that describes an object in three dimensions, Explains Rich Brown, senior editor at cnet.com.
“It works much like a 2D printer,” he said. “The layers build up in liquid form. The material solidifies as it prints out each layer, and the end result is a 3D object in real life.”
The Future
This amazing process is now evolving with costs being reduced and the range of materials you can work with expanding, you can now print with chocolate! Along with other materials such as nylon, metals, concrete and recycled paper. These Printers are now appearing in schools all over the world. It is said that we will soon be able to replicate and make our own consumables in the home such as furniture- watch out DFS!
In 2008 a 3D printer actually managed to print itself!
