Technical inventions have had a huge impact on modern history, and to realize their impact on human evolution, just think about their effects, such as the light bulb, the steam engine, cars, or airplanes, along with the World Wide Web.

These technologies have made our lives better in many ways, opened up new ways and possibilities, and it is believed that three-dimensional printing has huge potential to become one of the technologies with a great impact on the development of human life.

The idea of three-dimensional printing

The description of three-dimensional printing appeared for the first time in a science fiction story in the fifties of the last century, and became a reality in the eighties, and turned into a popular technology in the current century after the accuracy increased and the materials used varied.

The basic principles remained the same, as it is the process of manufacturing a physical object from a digital model or design, by adding, merging, and making it solid, by adding many successive layers of material.

If we want to simplify the concept of three-dimensional printing, we can say that it is the process of transforming a digital model or design into a real, tangible product.

Projections suggest that this technology could put an end to traditional manufacturing as we know it, and could revolutionize many areas of our daily lives, because it is radically different from any other existing traditional manufacturing techniques.

From more than $300,<> ($<> million today) to own a <>D printer in the eighties, the technology is becoming accessible to small businesses and even individuals, allowing them to move beyond being a prototype process.

Technology enables the creation of products tailored to consumer requirements, including printed shoes (Getty Images)

The evolution of three-dimensional printing

The first landmark patent associated with the idea of three-dimensional printing appeared in 1981, entitled "Rapid Prototyping Device", while Chuck Hall coined the term "holographic lithography" (SLA) in 1984 by applying for a patent granted to him in 1986.

The term describes a technique for creating three-dimensional objects through a liquid substance that coheres together when in contact with laser light.

Holographic lithography (SLA) represented the first generation of three-dimensional printing technology, which is currently widely used, but it was not the only technology under development at the time.

Carl Deckard patented Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) in 1987, while Scott Crump patented FDM in 1989, and other techniques and processes in <>D printing also emerged in subsequent years.

Applications of 3D Printing

Many industrial markets are benefiting from 3D printing, in areas such as:

  • Medicine and Dentistry:

In 2000, scientists succeeded in printing a human kidney, while in 2008 there was a printing of prosthetic limbs without the need for any additional assembly, while the printing of the first artificial jaw took place in 2012.

The same technology is used to make dental crowns and bridges, and the majority of transparent orthodontic tools are currently produced using them, with Invisalign producing more than half a million unique pieces a day in 2019.

The technology is ideal for creating or improving designs for medical devices, and can be used to create custom orthoses and prostheses.

Many companies have resorted to using 19D printing to produce medical supplies needed during the global COVID-<> pandemic, such as shields, face masks and respirators.

Technology allows the transformation of ideas and images into material elements, which benefits students and inventors (Getty Images)

  • Consumer Goods:

The technology helps speed up the launch of new products by designing, developing and testing them in a short time frame, such as PepsiCo, which in 2015 developed several prototypes of its Ruffles brand, testing volumes and flavors with consumers to determine the preferred type.

The technology enables the creation of products tailored to consumer requirements, including three-dimensional printed shoes, which quickly gained popularity thanks to their customizable designs and features.

In 2015, Adidas introduced its first printed shoe, the Futurecraft 3D, and continued this approach with the Futurecraft 4D shoe.

Nike also used technology to model and manufacture football shoes for American football players.

  • Space:

Three-dimensional printing technology has entered many fields, such as the manufacture of rocket engines and vehicle parts, as it allows engineers to create, design and manufacture rocket parts in a shorter time frame.

NASA began 30 years ago to use additive manufacturing of plastic rapid prototypes, before building expensive metal parts, as the technology allows the agency to build larger components in orbit using materials found at those sites.

Three-dimensional printing is being studied as a technique for building extraterrestrial habitats, with the SinterHab project centered around a lunar base built through three-dimensional printing using lunar dust as a base material.

  • Transportation:

The transportation sector was one of the first sectors to adopt 3D printing technologies, seeking to produce spare parts on demand, along with rapid product development.

The technology enables the production of complex lightweight and durable parts, such as the introduction in 2020 of Porsche of a new concept for sports car seats, taking advantage of <>D printing.

Examples of tool innovation include Ford, which won an award in 2018 for its use of <>D printing of tools, and the company also uses technology to produce elements for some of its vehicle models.

In 2018, Porsche announced that it was using this technology to produce parts for its rare and classic cars.

BMW also leveraged the technology to produce metal fittings for the i8 Roadster.

  • Art, Design and Sculpture:

The technology allows this sector to be able to reproduce previous works, creating replicas of ancient and modern sculptures to study closely and interact with them personally.

Museums have entered this field, with the Prado Museum organizing an exhibition that included paintings by famous artists using three-dimensional technology, with the aim of allowing the visually impaired to feel these works.

In 2010, the technique was used extensively in the field of cultural heritage, for conservation, restoration and dissemination purposes.

  • Construction:

The development of 1995D printing and research within construction began as early as <>, as a faster and less expensive way to build with greater complexity, accuracy and functional integration while reducing waste.

The technology enables the manufacture of housing, building components, bridges, civil infrastructure and artificial coral reefs.

A villa and tower were unveiled in 2015 incorporating 2016D-printed components, and in 12 Spain unveiled a 1D-printed pedestrian bridge 75 metres long and <>.<> metres wide.

  • Food Industries:

The first attempts within this sector were associated with chocolate, candy, biscuits, pasta and pizza. The technology is a promising way to reduce food waste, allowing chefs to prepare different dishes from leftovers, and is able to print nutritious meals in shapes that appeal to children.

Upprinting Food mixes different ingredients from food waste and combines them to produce mashed materials that are then used as 3D printing materials.

NASA wants to make food designed to suit the astronaut's nutritional needs, with a storage life of up to 30 years.

  • Education:

Technology has revolutionized STEM education, allowing students to create prototypes without the need for expensive tools.

Students can also design and produce models, as technology allows ideas and images to be transformed into a physical element, as well as helping to explore the principles of engineering, design and architectural planning.

Students recreate duplicates of museum items, such as excavations and historical artifacts, for classroom study without damaging sensitive collections.

Effect of three-dimensional printing

Industrial, local or personal 3D printing technology brings a range of benefits that traditional manufacturing methods cannot achieve, including:

  • Customization: The technology allows for comprehensive customization according to individual needs and requirements, as several products can be manufactured at the same time according to the requirements of end users, without any additional practical cost.
  • Complexity: The technology allows for levels of complexity that cannot actually be produced in any other way, and the products are lighter and stronger than their predecessors.
  • Fewer tools: Technology eliminates the need to produce tools for low- to medium-quantity manufacturing, thereby reducing costs, shortening lead times and reducing associated labor, and avoiding assembly requirements, eliminating the labor and costs associated with assembly operations.
  • Sustainability: The technology stands out as an energy-efficient method by using up to 90% of standard materials, thereby: reducing waste, along with the longevity of a product that has a lighter and stronger design, and imposes a lower carbon footprint compared to conventionally manufactured products.

Global market value for 2020D printing products and services in 12 was $6.<> billion (Getty Images)

The global market value for 2020D printing products and services in 12 was about $6.2020 billion, and the market size is expected to nearly triple between 2026 and <>.

Holographic printing is now a rapidly developing reality, being used in a wide range of sectors, including the aerospace industry, the automotive industry, the medical sector, the military industry and even in the food industry.

The technology's high costs are the biggest problem for ordinary users, as it prevents its further use, and the low quality of printed parts is another major reason why they are not used more widely at the moment.

But things could change in the future as the cost of the technology continues to decline and sophisticate, which may cause users to make products instead of buying them. Lower cost and sophistication of technology may also bring about several changes, as it becomes able to facilitate distributed manufacturing, resulting in benefits in the supply chain and logistics.

Moreover, social and economic development advances through the creation of local production economies, and production becomes local and customized, while responding to actual demand, not projected demand.

As more 3D printers begin to reach homes, the traditional relationship between home and workplace may fade.

In conclusion, 3D printing is one of the most unusual technologies of our time, and is expected to be at the forefront of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, as technology makes life simpler or better.