Everyday Science · 45 sec
3D printing
The science behind something you encounter, use, or wonder about.
The useful idea
- The useful idea
3D printing, also called additive manufacturing, is the construction of a three-dimensional object from a CAD model or a digital 3D model.
- How it works
It can be done in a variety of processes in which material is deposited, joined or solidified under computer control, with the material being added together (e.g. plastics, liquids, or powder grains being
- Why it matters
In the 1980s, 3D printing techniques were considered suitable only for the production of functional or aesthetic prototypes, and a more appropriate term for it at the time was rapid prototyping.
Why this matters
Look for 3D printing the next time you notice this pattern in everyday life.
Try this
Look for 3D printing the next time you notice this pattern in everyday life.
Test your recall
Which idea belongs to the explanation of 3D printing?
- How it works
- The useful idea — correct
- Why it matters
3D printing, also called additive manufacturing, is the construction of a three-dimensional object from a CAD model or a digital 3D model.