3D Printing 101: How It Works & Potential Applications [Infographic]

It used to be that a Star Trek replicator was just a far away fantasy that we all wished was true but never really expected to become a reality. As it turns out, researchers are now saying a food replicator could exist around year 2050. Of course, people can 3D print food now, but I’m talking about walking up to a small machine and saying, “chocolate milkshake” and then watching it being created instantly. There are many more potential applications for 3D printing that you may not have realized.

3D printing is an exciting and very fast moving technology that changes constantly. Last year, we featured an article that explained how 3D printing works, but it’s time to update that with the newest information about where 3D printing is and what the potential applications are for this mind-blowing technology. If you are new to this tech, this can serve as a cheat sheet which will pretty much get you up-to-date on the basics in this industry.

This infographic called 3D Printer Cheat Sheet by Cartridge Discount will not only update you about the printers themselves, but it also provides a timeline for when some of the things we’ve already seen in the world of 3D printing might become mainstream. You’ll see some of the potential applications, and what printing materials are used.

Most people believe that in just a year or two, anyone will be able to print anything by using a 3D printer set up in the grocery store for example. It will look like a vending machine, and everyone will share it. We are already seeing that on some college campuses, and you can read about it on 3D Printing Vending Machine.

Then, as the prices of 3D printers continue to come down, more and more people will have them in their homes. Soon after that, we’ll start ordering the information to 3D print our purchases from home instead of waiting for them to be shipped to us the old fashioned way. My grandchildren will probably say, “Grandma, that must have been hard to order things and then wait a week for them to come in the mail. What if you wanted your stuff right away? It was hard back then.” It’s funny how life evolves.