3D Printing

3D printers are printers that can print 3D models from designs created on computers instead of 2D. 3D models for the printers can be created by using CAD (computer aided design) programs and websites such as Tinkercad. The first 3D printers were created in the mid 1980's and increased in popularity and decreased in price around 2010. Objects are created by putting the chosen materials down in layers. Many 3D printers still print slowly and the size of the objects that they are able to print is very limited, usually less than a foot in any direction. However, like many technologies, 3D printers are becoming cheaper and more advanced, which is making them easier for the public to purchase. With prices going down, the number of people who are able to use 3D printers is going up, opening new opportunities for people such as artists and hobbyists. 3D printers also allows people to print custom pieces for just about anything, given that the object is not too large and the person printing has the proper measurements. A video can be found below that shows a 3D printer printing.