3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGIES IN VARIOUS APPLICATIONS

Industrial adoption of 3D Printing has been increasing gradually from prototyping to manufacturing of low volume customized parts. The need for customized implants like tooth crowns, hearing aids, and orthopedic-replacement parts has made the life sciences industry an early adopter of 3D Printing. Demand for low volume spare parts of vintage cars and older models makes 3D printing very useful in the automotive industry. It is possible to 3D print in a wide range of materials that include thermoplastics, thermoplastic composites, pure metals, metal alloys and ceramics. Right now, 3D printing as an end-use manufacturing technology is still in its infancy. But in the coming decades, and in combination with synthetic biology and nanotechnology, it has the potential to radically transform many design, production and logistics processes. 3D printing encompasses a wide range of additive manufacturing technologies. Each of these builds objects in successive layers that are typically about 0.1 mm thin. In basic terms there are four categories of 3D printers. Firstly we have printers that extrude a molten or otherwise semi-liquid material. Secondly, there are printers that solidify a photo curable resin. Thirdly, there are printers that bind or fuse the granules of a powder. And finally, there are printers that stick together cut sheets of paper, plastic or metal.