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Group 12-13 '15
Introduction:
Technology has affected recent human history probably more than any other field. Think of a light bulb, steam engine or, more latterly, cars and aeroplanes, not to mention the rise and rise of the world wide web. These technologies have made our lives better in many ways, opened up new avenues and possibilities. It is widely believed that 3D printing or additive manufacturing (AM) has the vast potential to become one of these technologies. In fact, 3D Printing has been quoted in the Financial Times and by other sources as potentially being larger than the Internet.
3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. 3D printing in the term's original sense refers to processes that sequentially deposit material onto a powder bed with inkjet printer heads. More recently the meaning of the term has expanded to encompass a wider variety of techniques such as extrusion and sintering based processes.
Introduction to 3D Printing
History:
The earliest 3D printing technologies first became visible in the late 1980’s, at which time they were called Rapid Prototyping (RP) technologies. This is because the processes were originally conceived as a fast and more cost-effective method for creating prototypes for product development within industry.
Future of 3D Printing:
3D printing has a bright future, not least in rapid prototyping where its impact is already highly significant, but also in the manufacture of many kinds of plastic and metal objects, in medicine, in the arts, and in outer space.
Technology has developed to the point where we are rethinking industries. Heralded as the 2nd, 3rd and, sometimes even, 4th Industrial Revolution by some, what cannot be denied is the impact that 3D printing is having on the industrial sector and the huge potential that 3D printing is demonstrating for the future of consumers. What shape that potential will take is still unfolding before us.
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