5 Really Cool Future Trends Of Modern 3D Printing Technology

When 3D printing was first introduced to the world there seemed to be a limited scope for what it would be helpful to do. Most people could see it being useful in large manufacturing companies or industrial settings but not much else. The technology seemed too futuristic and out of reach for most people to imagine it ever having more accessible uses.

As time has gone on; the ways 3D printing has been used in our everyday lives has only continued to increase. Buying a 3D printer kit has become more affordable for even the average consumer to consider. There are plenty of people who have purchased a 3D printer for their own home and love the applications it has in their daily routines.

The trends in modern 3D printing technology are amazing. 3D printing is being used in medical environments, home environments, and manufacturing as well as places no one ever would’ve imagined. If you’re curious about how 3D printing is being used, keep reading. Here are five really cool future trends of modern 3D printing technology.

1. The Cost Will Continue To Decrease

As technology continues to progress the costs associated with 3D printing will continue to decrease. You can already buy a 3D printer for your home for less than $200 right now but as things progress those numbers will just continue to drop. The costs for materials to print 3D items are decreasing too so owning a printer yourself is just going to become more possible.

The decreased costs will also increase the uses of 3D printing in our daily lives. Manufacturing companies are already working on increasing the ways they use 3D printing and passing those savings on to their customers in some pretty awesome ways. They’re also finding it more affordable to print in new types of materials so plastic isn’t the only option anymore.

If you’ve been considering getting a 3D printer but weren’t sure if you could afford it, now is the time to strike. Prices are getting better almost daily and you’ll be able to find the materials you need for printing anything you can dream up for affordable prices too. This is one trend that’s going to keep getting better with time.

2. Medical 3D Printing Uses Will Increase

3D printing technology in the medical environment is some of the most exciting technological advances to be made right now. Patients have been able to benefit from 3D printing options in healthcare settings in some awesome ways. Printing prosthetic limbs has become an option many people have turned to because it’s less cost-prohibitive than traditional options.

Pediatric patients are now more likely to have custom made prosthetic limbs without having to wait until they’ve stopped growing. The price of printing a new limb for them when they’ve outgrown their old one is affordable enough that lives are being improved daily with these advances.

Printing with human cells to create organic tissue is on the rise too. The process is called bioprinting and it’s being used to help grow new skin and even attempt to grow new organs. Bioprinting is amazing to think about. 3D bioprinting technology in the medical environment is some of the most exciting technological advances to be made right now.

Patients have been able to benefit from 3D printing options in healthcare settings in some awesome ways. Printing prosthetic limbs has become an option many people have turned to because it’s less cost-prohibitive than traditional options. As the technology advances, medical experts believe they’ll eventually be able to grow organs for transplant patients.

3. Aerospace Will Keep Using It

NASA has used 3D printing in some surprising ways already. From creating pieces that are custom designed for their shuttles to a design contest for a 3D printed Mars shelter, they’re pushing this technology to new heights. The uses of 3D printing in space and for space-related exploration will continue to grow.

The Mars design contest showed that 3D printing is the future for NASA and anyone focused on making sustainable items that can survive the harsh environment in space. The ability to customize shelters or other items needed in space to be printed exactly for that type of environment is invaluable.

There’s already a 3D printer located on the international space station and that printer has printed things in space more than once at this point. NASA’s plans to continue to grow this type of technology for space situations will continue to increase in the future years due to the successes they’ve had in the recent past.

4. The Fashion Industry Will Increase Their Usage

This isn’t a trend everyone saw coming but it’s still an exciting way 3D printing is being used. The fashion industry has been able to incorporate 3D printing into the way they create designs for their target audiences. This is especially true when it comes to customizable fashion items and accessories.

Because designers can print things themselves now, they’re able to work directly with a buyer and create something the buyer loves for a much more affordable price. There was also an entire fashion line created using 3D printing technology. The designer was able to create a fabric-like textile and print out skirts and even a jacket with a 3D printer.

5. It’s Going To Get A Lot Faster

High-speed 3D printing is here and it’s already changing how things are being done. New high-speed printers can produce the same parts their slower cousins can make in about 40% less time right now. The technology advancing printing speed is still new and being developed.

As the newest plans and printers are put into real environments, high-speed printing will become more and more prevalent. Just as 3D printing first was applicable in manufacturing and industrial settings, that’s where high-speed printing is showing up first. Keep watching to see where that goes because it’s going to change how things are done yet again.

Conclusion:

It’s easy to see that 3D printing technology isn’t going anywhere. The ways you can use it in your own life are going to continue to increase and the technology being developed is cutting edge. If you’re interested in technology and seeing what the next new thing will be, keep an eye on 3D printing and The Micro3D. It’s getting more interesting every day and the future of this technology promises to be more exciting than ever before.