3D printer
A machine that creates a plastic or metal part one layer at a time (the additive fabrication method). Used mostly for quickly creating prototypes and molds, 3D printers are also used to build final parts. A variety of different technologies are used to form the layers. For details, see 3D printing.
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| 3D printers come in all sizes from self-standing units to desktop printers. Chuck Hull (top) pioneered rapid prototyping in the mid-1980s with his stereolithography technology. The first low-cost desktop printer is expected in 2008 from Desktop Factory (bottom) at a retail price of $4,995. (Top image courtesy of 3D Systems, Inc., www.3dsystems.com) (Bottom image courtesy of Desktop Factory, Inc., www.desktopfactory.com) |
