Curious to see what the future of 3D printing holds? Technology has certainly evolved by leaps and bounds over the past decade and one of the biggest innovations in the field is the 3D printer. The concept behind a 3D printer is pretty straightforward: using a template, the printer can build a replica layer by layer, from materials such as metal and durable plastics. There virtually are no limits to what you could print. As long as you have the template and a big enough printer, you can print a 3D version of anything you want. In theory, at least. Until now, the technology has been successfully used to print out shoes, fabrics, car replicas, phone cases, clocks, coffee cups, and even an acoustic guitar.
However, the industry of 3D printing does not stay in place, and is constantly moving forward discovering more and more features and covering more areas in which a 3D Printer might come in handy. Let’s check this list of things that may be able to be printed by 2020. Companies like Stratasys, Ltd. (NASDAQ:SSYS), 3D Systems Corporation (NYSE:DDD) and ExOne Co (NASDAQ:XONE) may be prominent players in these creations, but it’s too early to tell.
Let’s take a look.
No. 5: Haute Couture
Fabrics are already successfully printed out using 3D printers, although it is difficult to say that this particular technology has become mainstream. However, several designers have already started experimenting with these printers, with varying degrees of success. As technology continues to evolve, it is safe to assume that 3D printing high fashion clothes will become a common way of manufacturing in the near future. Given the cheaper cost, this technology would have a profound impact of the world of fashion.
See the rest of the list on the following pages:
No. 4: Liquid Metals for the Electronics Industry
Liquid metals have recently been developed by researchers North Carolina State University and work is currently under way to try to come up with a printer that could generate this liquid metal. Provided that this will be achieved, it is safe to say that the entire electronics manufacturing process will be revolutionized.
No. 3: Any Type of Food Product
Currently, Systems and Materials Research Corporation engineers are working on developing a 3D printer that could print out food products made from powders. Although this may sound like a science fiction story, it may become a reality sooner than you think.
No. 2: Meat and Leather
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Work is already being made so that one day 3D printers can be used to produce leather products and meat, without having to kill the animals. Modern Meadow, a US startup, is researching how stem-cells can be multiplied and incorporated into a template that could generate the above-mentioned products. The company is currently focusing on developing leather products, but rumor has it that they will be moving on to meat quite soon.
No. 1: Rocket Parts
Thus far, NASA has already successfully tested 3D printed engine injectors, and there is much optimism that the technology could use for more substantial work. Traditional rocket parts manufacturing is an extensive and expensive process, issues which would be resolved through 3D printing. In addition, there’s another added benefit of using printers as opposed to welding components together: because 3D printers created seamless pieces, the chances of leakage are significantly decreased.
