TECHNOLOGY ADDS DEPTH TO INDUSTRIES

3-D printing is a process of making a three-dimensional solid object of virtually any shape froma digital model. 3-D printing is also called “additive manufacturing” because it is achieved using an additive process, where successive layers of material are laid down through a print head, nozzle or other printer technology.

InAugust 1984, Charles Hull, a California-based engineer, applied for a United States patent for 3-D printing, whichwas granted in March 1986.

Hull andRaymond Freed then co-founded 3D Systems Inc. In late 1987, the company shipped its first beta units to customers in theUS, followed by production systems in April 1988. Thesewere the world’s first commercial 3-D printing systeminstallations.

3-D printing technology has made inroads into many industries. In architecture, the technology is used in conceptual design, client communications, public meetings and displays.

Anatomical models produced by 3-D printing of a patient’s bones or soft tissues are useful for planning complex surgical procedures and deciding on the best course of action.

In Turkey, where the need for dental restoration is high, dentists can scan patients’ mouths and send files directly to 3-D printing centers, eliminating the need for hand-trimming dental devices at the final fitting.

Japan-basedOmote 3D opened its 3D-printing photo booth in the Harajuku district of Tokyo at the Eye ofGyre exhibition in November 2012. For about $265, visitors could enter the booth, stand still as their full body is digitally scanned and eventually walk away with a 3D-printed miniature replica of themselves.

Designer MichielCornelissen created Happy Bird earrings and pendants using laser sintering. The whimsical items are packaged in a gift box and available for sale in design stores in Beijing, NewYork and the Netherlands.

Strong demand continues for providers of 3-D printing products and services. The global compound annual growth rate of revenues for all products and services over the past 25 years is an impressive 25.4 percent.

The 3-D printing industry is expected to continue double-digit growth over the next fewyears. By 2017, WohlersAssociates Inc has forecast that the sale of 3-D printing products and services will approach $6 billionworldwide.

The global economy is worth about $70 trillion, and manufacturing accounts for more than 15 percent, which is $10.5 trillion. If 3-D printing grows to capture just 1 percent of the global manufacturing market, that’s $105 billion.

After more than two decades of research, development, and use, the industry continues to expand with the introduction of newtechnologies, methods, materials, applications, and business models. A growing number of industries and geographic regions are embracing 3-D printing. The technology has had a tremendous impact on design and manufacturing, and this impact will continue to grow.