What are 3D-printed Objects Made of?
Currently, plastics are the standard materials for basic 3D printing. Some printers use paper, while others use powdered metals and even carbon fiber. However, this is an area of 3D printing that is rapidly improving.

What is 3D Printing Used for?
3D printers have been used to create everything under the sun, from toothbrushes to entire buildings. For instance, the use of 3D scanners along with 3D printing has transformed the production of prosthetics. By 3D scanning the body of a patient, a prosthetic hand or custom-made brace can be printed to fit that person at low cost. As a master’s student, I see a lot of 3D-printed objects in academia. Biologists, mathematicians, and other researchers use printed models of the molecules, particles, or geometries that they study to understand them in three dimensions. This helps researchers form better hypotheses as well as teach students. In industry, 3D printers enable the production of quick and inexpensive prototypes.

Watch the story of a boy with a 3D-printed prosthetic hand.(CBS Evening News, October 2013)

Will My Next Pair of Shoes be 3D Printed?
So far, 3D printing is useful for low-volume, high-value, products like prototypes and prosthetics; the current speed of printing is too slow for large-sale production. However, 3D printers may soon make the current model of manufacturing obsolete. As the cost of 3D printers and materials go down, you may be able to afford your own printer and simply print any design that you like at home. This would enable personalization of products for every customer, like name-brand shoes that fit perfectly, or a customized coffee table. (You might want, perhaps, an Ikea table with six cupholders and an embedded sculpture of George Clooney).

3D printing is an exciting young technology that is rapidly evolving. By understanding what 3D printing is and how it works, you can watch the layers of this technology take shape.