3D print ideas reddit

Reddit best 3D printing models・Cults

smelly legion corpse veil terminators for smelly harvesting needs

Free

Nozzle Lamp

Free

Reddit Logo!

Free

CFBBall - Troy

Free

Facebook Keychain

€1

Szia uram mém/ Hi sir meme

€10

Koi fish mini

Free

Keycaps 3 Pepe

€0.50

Pixel Art Building Blocks

Free

DreadMemeMarine

Free

The Witcher Medallion - School of Angry Pepe

€0.53

Reddit award

€1. 16

120mm Fan Cover / Mesh Filter

Free

3D Printed Mesh Sheet

Free

MERRY XMAS - ORNAMENT

€1.71

Shuba Duck cookie cutter

Free

Wall Street Ape Rocketing to the Moon

€3.22

Elucidator エリュシデータ, Eryushidēta

€1.83

Reddit Alien

Free

Snoo The Vampire

Free

REDDIT WALLSTREETSILVER 3D POSTER WALL PLAQUE FOR BULLION SILVER SQUEEZE

€1.14

GME AMC WSB APE SUPERSTONK DIAMOND HANDS GAMESTOP

€2.59

Mechanical Keyboard - SiCK-60 (60%) Merged

Free

REDDIT WALL STREET SILVER BRITANNIA SILVER BULLION 1 OZ COIN STORAGE TUB

€1. 14

STONKS

€12

Reddit Gift Bag

Free

Brother Gigachad

Free

Wall Street Bets - Diamond hands - Multimaterial

€1

Showerthoughts Screen

Free

Pepe the frog

€0.50

Cake Day

Free

support for god of war 4 control

Free

Shovel Knight - Repaired

Free

Mage Statue D20 Holder

€1.72

Insulin Vial Holder 16 nos

Free

Pewdiepie

€0. 70

OutRun Subreddit Logo

€1.15

Reddit Alien Head.

€1.15

Reddit Cake SD Card Holder

Free

TF2 Logo Keychain

Free

Reddit Alien - Two Part Easy Print

Free

The crazy and coolest things people have printed

The world of 3D printing is well and truly here with printers in homes, online stores and even supermarkets offering 3D printing services. The result is all manner of weird and wonderful 3D printed objects.

In the home people can download or design files and print off objects in plastic. This can be helpful for cheap and easy replacements of parts about the house, quick toys and even furniture.

Then there are metal 3D printers as well as organic models. These are generally used by companies or universities and have created things like guns and even human organs. Food printers are also here making it possible to print sweets as well as proper meals.

3D printing is helping to make products appear on the market faster as cheaper and easier prototyping can be achieved. Cars have been 3D printed as well as basic houses. While they're still in the early stages of development it's possible that the future of large-scale production could be 3D printed.

We've rounded up a broad range of 3D printed products here right now.

3D-bioprinted structured Wagyu beef

Osaka University

Scientists from Osaka University have been working on 3D printing a meat alternative that's said to be comparable to Waygu beef. The "meat" contains muscle, fat and blood vessels arranged in a way that apparently has a striking resemblance to the expensive Waygu meat.

The researchers have said this will not only help potentially provide an environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to meat but a customisable food source too. Future customers will be able to order the meat customised with specific levels of fat (for example) tailored to their needs.

If you're interested in the science of it you can read more about it here.

A cast that helps you heal

Osteoid/Deniz Karasahin

In 2014, designer Deniz Karasahin created this brilliant concept of a new cast for broken limbs that not only looks awesome but also helps the healing process. The 3D printed cast included a low-intensity pulsed ultrasound system that was designed to help damaged bones to heal faster - as much as 38 per cent faster in fact.

3D printed pizza

Natural Machines

Foodini is a 3D food printer capable of printing an entire pizza in one. This printer, designed by Natural Machines doesn't just produce pizzas, it can manage other foodstuffs as well - burgers, spaghetti and more. Of course, a device like this is fairly high-end and in 2016 one of these printers would set you back around $2,000. But perhaps this sort of thing is a taste of the future?

Bio-printing replacement body parts

TheFutureofThings

3D printing is a fairly exciting field, not just in creating new gadgets and gizmos, but also in the field of medicine. There have been various advancements in the bio-printing space over the last few years. These have included research into 3D printing for tissue repair and reconstruction, limb replacement, kidney transplants and even heart transplant.

Organovo has been pioneering this tech of late and was even involved in 3D printing liver and kidney tissue that could be used to treat failing human organs. An amazing life-saving tech that we can't wait to see future developments of.

A dragon's head

R-BRUSH/3D NextLevel

Out of the Netherlands comes this fantastic 3D-printed dragons head which adorns a Game of Thrones-themed boat.

It was printed by 3D NextLevel and painted by R-Brush but it is also impressive for other reasons - like the fact that it's equipped with a flamethrower and smoke machine for dramatic effect.

Hodor door stop

captaincurrylaughingmaniacally

Game of Thrones fans will either chortle quietly or shed a single sad tear over this one. A 3D printed door stop crafted to show the word Hodor.

The world's largest 3D printed boat

University of Maine

In October 2019, the University of Maine managed to set not one, not two, but three Guinness World Records for using the world's largest polymer 3D printer to print the largest boat ever printed.

The 25-foot, 5,000-pound 3D-printed boat known as 3Dirigo might not be the most exciting or interesting-looking 3D print on our list, but it's certainly an impressive feat. Even more so when you watch the timelapse of it being crafted.

The prototype printer itself is something special too. A beast of a machine that's able to print huge object as much as 100-feet long by 22-feet wide and 10-feet high. It's said that the printer will be used for rapid prototyping of civilian, defense and infrastructure applications.

A little help for a furball

kittenxlady

Instagrammer Kittenxlady posted this image in 2017 showing her favourite little kitten rocking some fairly awesome custom 3D printed wheels. The purrrrrrrrrfect little setup to help the little furball get about despite health problems.

A 3D printed electric violin

Thomas Tetu/3dvarius

With humble beginnings in 2013, the 3Dvarius soon made a move to Kickstarter with the promise of an awesome-looking 3D-printed violin that was designed to create a symbiosis between itself and the musician. Precise machining, an innovative design and an eye for detail saw the 3Dvarius turn from a concept into a fully functioning musical instrument that really stands out from the crowd.

Darth Vader pen holder

willcalderone0630/Reddit

While many of the 3D printings on this list might be useful, practical or helpful in one way or another, some are just awesome. This little 3D-printed version of Darth Vader is a fantastic example. The dark overlord has been turned into a humble pen holder, bowing the knee to his owner.

The world's first 3D printed house

WinSun

Back in the hazy days of 2014, a private Chinese company known as WinSun crafted the first ever 3D printed house. Four large 3D printers were put to work to spray concrete layer-by-layer to construct the walls.

This 3D printing method was said to be incredibly cheap and the lack of manpower involved meant costs could be kept even lower. At the time it was suggested that a house could be printed for less than $5,000.

A full-sized kayak

Grass Roots Engineering

This amazing kayak was 3D printed from a home printer section by section over 42 days. It was lovingly crafted by Jim Smith, a 3D Systems engineer, who made the craft from around $500 worth of materials. Those materials included ABS plastic, machine screws, brass inserts and a healthy dose of silicone caulk to keep the canoe watertight. It took around 1,012 hours to print but it works!

Edible printings

3D Systems

In 2015, 3D Systems announced the ChefJet Pro 3D. A 3D printing device that was able to 3D print sweets and candy treats. The result is some fairly awesome edible creations with flavours ranging from chocolate to vanilla, mint, sour apple, cherry and watermelon.

A 3D printed pinhole camera

Pinhole

Pinhole is a camera that can be 3D printed and loads 35mm film for shots. This device originally started life on Kickstarter before becoming a reality. It's designed to bring old-school photography to the modern age. The end result is pretty cool too as the 3D printed camera is strong, robust and durable - much more than modern digital cameras that could easily break if dropped.

If you love this idea, you can even print your own camera by following these instructions.

The Rapid Racer

Hawk University

The Rapid Racer was 3D printed with 3,600 layers and is powered by s standard 18V drill by Hawk University.

The Down Up Tap

Alice Spieser

The Down Up Tap makes drinking from a tap easier, should you feel the need to. This 3D printed tap is essentially a dual-nozzled water dispenser for your sink that combines the standard functionally of a normal tap with a drinking fountain. No need to dirty up your glasses, just drink and go.

First ever 3D printed football boots

Nike

In 2013, Nike showed off its new design of Vapour Laser Talon football boots. These were the first ever 3D printed football boots that were designed to help athletes perform at their best thanks to a lightweight design and powerful traction grips.

Porsche Cayman S

Porsche

In 2013, Porsche released a free 3D printable file for its Cayman S. Fans of the car maker could then print their own vehicle and even colour it whichever way they wanted. Sure it's not as cool as the real thing, but it is considerably cheaper and official too.

The paper aeroplane gun

Papierfliegerei

Looking to up your paper aeroplane game? Then this 3D printed monster may be the device you need. The 3D printed A6 V10 Paper Airplane gun can fire planes automatically and in large quantities.

It might not be much to look at, but one version of this 3D printed gun, known as the PFM-A5 V2 was capable of holding up to 200 sheets of A5 paper and firing 120 paper planes a minute.

3D printed modular laptop

Pi-top

The Pi-Top is a 3D printed modular laptop that's designed to teach users how to print circuitry, learn to code and create awesome devices for the future. This quirky (and surprisingly cheap) device was created to encourage users to invent new gadgets, gizmos and interesting creations for the future.

A 3D printed tortoise shell

Canyon Critters Rescue

Say hello to Cleopatra, a tortoise with a 3D-printed prosthesis. She suffers from pyramiding due to poor nutrition, meaning her real shell has holes and broken parts that could get infected, but Roger Henry, a student from Colorado Technical University, designed her a new 3D-printed shell made of biodegradable corn-based plastic. She's also being properly fed by the Canyon Critters Reptile Rescue HQ in Colorado, and her new 3D-printed shell is expected to protect her until her actual shell heals in a few years.

3D on the rocks

TBWA/Hakuhodo

A Japanese advertising agency called TBWA/Hakuhodo created ice pieces called "3D on the rocks" to advertise Suntory Whisky, but it used Autodesk 123D, 3D designs, and a CNC router to carve the designs out of an ice block. The whole process is quite similar to 3D printing. The image above is just one of the many ice pieces the agency made.

A reconstructed Toucan beak

3D printing certainly has plenty of awesome potential uses. This brilliant snap shows just how much difference this printing tech can make, not only to human lives but also to the animals that inhabit our world as well. Here, a Toucan has had its beak reconstructed with the power of a 3D printer.

3D printed artwork for the blind

unseen art

3D printed objects are changing lives all over the world in wonderfully different ways.

This brilliant use sees classic paintings and artwork being transformed into 3D printed sculptures. In this form, it is hoped that the visually impaired will have a chance to experience and appreciate the art in new and awesome ways like they couldn't before.

Mobility for a puppy

Reddit/KANNABULL

This photo is proof from Reddit that 3D printed prosthetics and mobility aids aren't just for humans. This poor little dog has unfortunately lost the use of his legs, but now has some 3D printed wheels to help him zip about the place.

Google Droid

surviro/Reddit

When one Redditor's wheel bound brother was due to start a job at Google they took to the 3D printer to make them something awesome to act as a desk buddy. A lot of thought went into this little printing as well. Not only does the Droid's head move (and come off) but it also has magnets built into its posterior to keep it in the wheelchair.

Dragon lamp

Kvant3dPrinting

The last series of Game of Thrones might well have had fans of the series divided on whether it was any good or not, but there's no denying the dragons were awesome. Making the most of the love for the winged mythical creatures, one Etsy seller has taken to crafting awesome 3D printed dragon lamps, complete with burning hell fire.

Full-sized 3D printed Iron Man suit

JayLuvLL

A cosplayer going by the name Jayluvll really takes their hobby seriously. Employing a healthy dose of patience, over six months of effort and a multitude of 3D printed parts, they managed to craft this awesome looking full-sized Iron Man suit. Impressive!

An accurate brain

ST314/Reddit

Not an actual brain nor a replacement for a human brain that's been 3D printed (though that would be fairly awesome), this is instead an accurate printing of a brain created from an MRI scan. Reddit user ST314 created it after their son went through the scanner. Theyexplained how it happened:

"I extracted the data from his MRI using a script written by user miykael on github, prepared the shape in Blender, bisecting the brain on the horizontal plane so there would be two stable flat surfaces, and then ran it through the Qidi software to create a gcode file from the stl. The printer is a Qidi X-pro. I used 3D Solutech PLA filament (because they had decent iZombie brain coloured material). Total print time was about 20 hours for both hemispheres. Data prep of the polygons was about the same amount of time. "

Another house and plans for space

Apis Cor

Since the first 3D printed house was churned out, other companies have been working on creating new constructions using similar techniques. This house, built by Apis Cor, was constructed in under 24-hours and cost just over $10,000 to print. Interestingly, the 400 square foot domicile is predicted to be durable enough to last up to 175 years. Other endeavours by the company include research into the possibilities of using 3D printing technology to construct habitats on other planets.

Piggy bank

lecaramel

3D printing is still a fair expensive undertaking, so perhaps this design is essential for anyone looking to get into it. A 3D printed piggy bank for storing your spare change for your next printing project.

A printed belt

3DWatsch

If you're always having trouble with your trousers falling down or just find it impossible to find a belt that actually fits, then perhaps 3D printing your own is the solution. Imagine the possibilities of setting your own fashion trend with 3D printed clothing that's surely unique if nothing else.

A tiny Tokoyo

iJet

iJet took to Kickstarter in 2016 with this brilliant project that saw Tokyo being recreated in tiny three-dimensional 3D printed maps. An awesome highly-detailed and painstaking project with fantastic results. The massive city certainly looks pretty special in this tiny format.

3D printed rocket parts

NASA

Even NASA has been at it. In 2013 the space organisation experimented with 3D printing techniques to create new parts for its space rockets. Obviously, these are some heavy-duty bits of kit as they needed to be able to withstand temperatures of up to 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Goes to show the potential future uses of this tech though.

Vortex Keep

Jukka Seppänen

Ever fancied your very own castle, complete with foreboding moat and unsurmountable cliff face? Now you can, at least in tiny form anyway, thanks to this 3D printable model by Jukka Seppänen. This model is also awesomely designed to hold a small candle in the middle to add a brilliant glowing ambience to it at night.

Cheshire Cats

Printing_Joe

3D printers are so versatile. They can be used to print everything from replacement limbs to simple little models to show your love for fairy tales. These instructions by Steve Solomon let you print your very own grinning Cheshire cat. These felines are no longer confined to Wonderland.

Godzilla

mrhodes/ChaosCoreTech

This brilliant vision of Godzilla was created by Mark Rhodes taking inspiration from the original model by ChaosCoreTech and adding in a cool dose of angry waters below his feet and a brilliant system that used vape tech to blow smoke out of his mouth.

Animated series Batman

FotisMint

We bet a modern Bruce Wayne would have a few 3D printers in his house. He'd probably also approve of his animated likeness being recreated in this form. 3D printing hobbyist Fotis Mint has created this fantastic looking model of the dark knight for people to print themselves.

Mushroom lamp

Printing_Joe/Nick Markellov

One of the things we love about 3D printing is the way it can not only be used to create beautiful things, but useful things as well. Here Joe Prints has crafted a really colourful mushroom that also doubles as a nifty little lamp.

Judge Dredd

grafitomi/eastman

This is an incredibly detailed 3D printed model of Judge Dredd, complete with his iconic scowl and massive shoulder pads. This model was crafted by grafitomi based on David Östman's printing instructions. We think it's fantastic and you can even view it in its full glory in video form on Instagram.

Guybrush Threepwood

FotisMint

From the classic Monkey Island, comes our favourite pirate-based character Guybrush Threepwood. Brilliantly recreated here by Fotis Mint. If this floats your boat, you'll be happy to know, he's also got the specs for scurvy seadog, Captain LeChuck.

Stormtrooper helmet

David Östman/Eastman

This bust of a Stormtrooper helmet seems to be the perfect model for geeks everywhere. We'd imagine if you own a 3D printer, you're probably a Star Wars fan. Most people are anyway, aren't they? Even if you aren't you can still appreciate the level of detail and the presence of this one. Another classic David Östman creation, it's certainly popular.

Anonymous mask

Fabio Bautista

Whether this mask reminds you of Guy Fawkes, the 2005 film V for Vendetta or the hacker group Anonymous, it's certainly striking. If you've always thought it was pretty cool, like we have, then you'll be happy to know you can now print your own thanks to Fabio Bautista.

Portal gun

Kirby Downey

Based on Valve's awesome sci-fi puzzle games, this 3D printing features an awesome looking portal gun. Alas, it won't actually be able to blast teleportation portals for you to travel through, but you will be able to impress your friends, use it for Cosplay or just show off your geeky style with it on a shelf in your home. Kirby Downey's creation also includes cavity housing for LED lights so you can make it glow.

Captain America's shield

Rob Pauza/William Graves III

For all you MCU fans, this one is bound to be a crowd-pleaser. The original instructions are for a small version of the shield, scaled to be around 10-inches. But because it's 3D printed, you can also go large and this image shows one user who did just that and made a real-life sized shield. See a video of the original here to get a taste of how awesome it is.

Medusa

Scan The World

Seems rather fitting to include Medusa on this list - the mythical snake-haired woman whose mere gaze could turn men to stone. This 3D printing is one of many different ones by Scan The World. Scan The World is an ambitious project to scan and recreate objects of cultural significance like this on. Making our past more accessible to everyone around the world, even to those who are unable to travel.

The Brandenburg Gate

MiniWorld 3D

It might be tiny, but it's also an awesome piece of history that you can hold in your hands. This 3D printing was created to celebrate the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall but also works a brilliant tribute to history.

Moai Head on Easter Island

Scan The World

Another creation from the Scan the World project is a 3D printing of the Moai Head from Easter Island. This is a modern recreation of one of the mysterious statues from the island and a fantastic work of art.

OpenRC Tractor

makit

Many of these 3D printed items are awesome to both look and marvel at, but they don't necessarily do anything other than please the eye. This one does though, with a little extra effort, you can make a working tractor which is bound to get your wheels turning.

SNES Mini Raspberry Pi

Duke Doks

The SNES Mini is an awesome classic console. But if you're a creative sort of person, then you might like to build your own rather than buy one. Duke Doks created this guide for printing your own SNES Mini housing for your Raspberry Pi to make it look more authentic.

Groot

Byambaa Erdene

The second cutest character from Guardian's of the Galaxy (our favourite is Rocket) is certainly unmistakable. If you love Groot too, then you're bound to approve of this 3D print. You can even print Groot sitting, standing and waving. So plenty to choose from. We just like that the lines of the 3D printing process help accentuate the wooden creases of Groot's skin.

Wallace and Gromit

Steve Solomon

The most famous animated man and dog combo? Certainly one of the most entertaining to grace our televisions. Wallace and Gromit have filled us with joy over the years. We love this 3D printed model of the pair. It's amusing and a great likeness to the original too.

Flight sim joystick

Akaki Kuumeri/Thingiverse

After Microsoft Flight Simulator released, people went mad for joysticks to the point that they all went out of stock or the prices got jacked up.

Not to be deterred, Akaki Kuumeri crafted their own 3D printed joystick complete with working components and USB connectivity. A great solution to a first-world problem.

Stratocaster guitar

Gary A. Donahue/Gad Blog

A real Stratocaster would set you back some serious amounts of money, but what about one you printed yourself? Sure, it's not quite the same, but it's awesome in its own way.

It's worth noting that though you can print this guitar yourself, it's a tricky one to get working correctly.

Anti-germ door opener

Ghost Design/Cults

In 2020, it's best not to get near people, touch things or go out in public, but if you need to then this might be a good solution.

A 3D printed door opener that looks like a knuckle duster but is actually designed to let you grip onto door handles and open doors without actually touching handles and thereby avoiding germs.

Mechanical keyboards

FedorSosnin/Thingiverse

Gaming keyboards are great. Fancy custom keyboards are even better, but they're also very expensive. What about a 3D printed one?

This is another one of those 3D prints that's complicated to pull off but oh-so-satisfying when it's finished.

Batman miniature

David_Ruiz

This nifty little thing is a 3D printed miniature replica of the helmet from Batman vs Superman. It might not have been the best Batman flick, but there's no denying this helmet is fantastic.

Flying courgette

Format magazine

If your kids won't eat their vegetables, maybe you can use 3D printing to make healthy food seem more interesting or appealing.

3D print some wings and see if you can make a courgette fly further than a paper aeroplane. Mother told us never to play with our food, but she never had a 3D printer.

A functional lightbulb

Mas0n8or

3D printed things are generally awesome but some are pretty uniquely impressive. This one, for example, seems to show a functional light bulb with a really nifty shape.

There's a guide here on how to make it and a tutorial video too.

5yncr0

If you're a Tesla fan, then this themed charging station for your smartphone might be the perfect 3D print.

Apparently easy instructions are available to view here and hopefully, you'll be back on the road in no time.

Interesting shower head

Roofofcar

If you've always thought your shower was a bit boring and doesn't have enough pressure or fun angles, then why not print your own?

This functional print gives you not only an interesting looking shower head but also according to users good pressure, droplet size and more.

3D printed schools

Unit

In Ukraine, an organisation known as Humanitarian Innovative Technologies is working on 3D printing schools. An interesting use of 3D printing for humanitarian aid in an area ravaged by war.

The first school is opening in 2023 in Lviv providing some educational infrastructure for children for the thousands of children displaced in the region.

Free 3D Reddit Logo file!・3D printed object to download・Cults

QuakeCon PC Icon

Free

Best Files for 3D Printers in the Art Category

Bored Frog Colorized

Free

Valentine heart in heart

3,50 €

nine0003 Dinoroar Georges pepa pig

1. 56 €

Heart-shaped box

Free

Deactivated

Pyramid Sandcastle

Free

Connie Springer - Attack on titan

3,99 €

nine0003 TRONE DARK SIDIOUS STAR WARS

0,50 €

Art category bestsellers

Baby Crystalwing, Cinderwing3D, articulating Flexi Wiggle Pet, print on site, fantasy

3.68 €

Astronaut on flexi printer

2.71 €

Cute flexi print frog

1.79 €

Flexi PRINT-IN-PLACE Hand

1,79 €

Flexi print-in-place Phoenix

3,63 €

GHOST ZU - GHOST WITH FEET

2,70 €

Adorable articulated axolotl, imprinted body, snap head, cute flexi

3,20 €

Cute sloth with flexi print

2. 71 €

Flexi-print Imperial Dragon

3.63 €

Crystal Dragon Articulating Animal Flexi Wiggle Pet Printing In Place Fantasy

3.68 €

Item

~~7 € nine0091 -80% 1.40 €~~

Cute T-Rex dinosaur with flexi print

2.71 €

Cute little fox with flexi print

2,30 €

Angel Experiment 624 (Light printing without support)

1,50 €

nine0003 Kangaroo and Joey on flexi printer

2.71 €

CUTE CROCODILE WITH FLEXIBLE PRINT IN PLACE

2. 71 €

Do you want to support Cults?

Do you like Cults and want to help us continue our journey on our own ? Please note that we are a small team of 3 people , so support us in keeping the activities of and creating future developments is very simple. Here are 4 solutions available to everyone:

AD: Disable your AdBlock banner blocker and click on our banner ads.
AFFILIATION: Shop online with our affiliate links here Amazon.
DONATIONS: If you want, you can donate via PayPal here.
* INVITE FRIENDS: * Invite your friends, discover the platform and the amazing 3D files shared by the community!

Examples of positive and negative applications of the 3D printer

Every year 3D printing becomes more and more popular. The 3D printer, as a tool for turning a digital model into a physical object, is gaining popularity, outperforming other production methods in many ways due to its affordability.

But do not forget that a 3D printer is just a tool. A lot depends on how this tool will be used. nine0006

Available 3D printing technologies

All 3D technologies can be conditionally divided into 4 types.

Layer by layer welding with molten material.

The principle of operation is similar to the familiar glue gun. The print media is melted to a semi-liquid state in the print head and applied with a nozzle to the print surface where it solidifies. This is how the finished 3D model “grows” layer by layer on the printing table. Not only thermoplastics can be used as consumables, but, for example, chocolate, icing, concrete, etc. nine0006

This is the most common type of printer. Inexpensive FDM printers are often used as home assistants. This is facilitated by an inexpensive price and a variety of consumables.

Selective curing of resin (photopolymer printers).

The material used is a photopolymer resin that hardens under the influence of UV radiation. As a source of UV radiation, a thin laser beam, a DLP projector or an LCD screen with a UV matrix, or any other design can be used. For example, some industrial 3D printers apply a photopolymer using thin nozzles and immediately illuminate it with a UV lamp. nine0006

Previously, these printers were quite expensive. Today, with advances in technology, photopolymer 3D printing has become affordable and photoresin printers have become popular as home hobby printers.

Selective bonding of powdered material.

On the print head of the printer there are several nozzles through which a binder is supplied, which is selectively applied to the powdered material. Various materials can be used as a material: for example, gypsum or metal powders. But gypsum is most often used. nine0006

Since dye can be added to the "glue" during printing, such printers are usually used for the production of color demonstration models or souvenirs.

Laser sintering of powdered materials.

The youngest technology, but with great potential for use in large-scale production. With the help of a laser or a heated print head, selective sintering of the metal powder occurs in an environment filled with an inert gas. nine0006

These are already serious industrial printers that are used for the production of functional metal assemblies and parts. Currently, such 3D printers are actively used in the aerospace industry.

Unethical use

3D piracy

Where there is duplication of objects, there are always disputes about copyright and piracy.

The production of any product is a long and painstaking work, and often more than one person. Before you get a finished decorative product, for example, a figurine, you need to think through everything to the smallest detail. Usually, before modeling, the artist draws a lot of sketches, the details of clothing and accessories are thought out. Only after that the 3D modeler gets to work and begins painstakingly recreating the 3D model. nine0006

Functional models are often redesigned by engineers after the prototype has been made. There can be a very long way between the initial idea and a stable working mechanism. And it’s very disappointing when such work is simply copied and posted in the public domain.

LEGO

It was one of the first mass manifestations of "3D piracy". At that time, 3D printing was only gaining popularity, and many users, having printed a dozen figurines, were looking for a useful application for a 3D printer. Given the low plastic consumption, the printed LEGO blocks were very inexpensive. nine0006

3D printed LEGO bricks

Despite the far from ideal surface, many were satisfied with such a copy. Some have argued that the accuracy of a home FDM printer is not enough for the bricks to fit well with the original LEGO, but for most users everything fit perfectly.

At the moment, LEGO is actively removing models that copy the original sizes of the famous bricks and men from the network. On popular sites, only custom elements of LEGO-men and LECO are left that are not the original size. nine0212

Custom heads for Lego people

Games Workshop

Games Workshop, which produce the most expensive table soldiers in the world, sued Thomas Valenti (USA) back in 2012. Thomas has modeled, printed and made publicly available several miniatures based on the Warhammer universe. The court sided with Games Workshop and the models had to be removed. nine0006

3D Printed Chaplain

Warhammer 40k Chaplain 3D model

Games Workshop went one step further by banning fans from creating art and other work based on the original settings and characters. As a boycott, users of the Warhammer 40,000 section on Reddit are proposing to abandon the company's products as much as possible - print game figures on 3D printers, use paints from other companies, or switch to other universes. nine0006

Hollywood

The production of modern films is not a cheap pleasure, and film companies try to recoup their costs not only by showing them in cinemas, but, for example, by producing souvenirs.

DreamWorks has an entire consumer goods division that helps recoup the cost of a movie if it fails at the box office. Film companies recognize that fan-made productions often surpass the official "souvenir" in accuracy and detail. nine0006

DC Universe Batman fan model

Many film companies are closely following the development of 3D printed merchandise, but do not yet know how to respond. For example, Paramount Pictures, Marvel Studios and Warner Bros. They themselves began to upload models for 3D printing to the network, before the release of new films.

Weapon Seal

Weapon Seal

24-year-old law student Cody Wilson was the first to make a gun on a 3D printer. Cody designed and 3D printed a combat pistol on his own. After 8 years, the idea of making firearms using 3D printing has not only not died out, but flared up with a bright fire. nine0006

It started in Texas in 2012. It was there that the company Defense Distributed was registered, the ideology of which was the development of models of firearms that anyone could make on a home 3D printer.

Guns

Liberator

The first “swallow” was the Liberator - a compact plastic pistol printed on a 3D printer from ABS plastic. The only thing that could not be made on a 3D printer was the striker, which was successfully replaced by an ordinary nail. The first printed pistol was made on a Stratasys Dimension SST 3D printer. nine0006

Liberator - the name is borrowed from a cheap pistol that was developed in 1942 in the USA.

The Liberator fired a fairly weak .380 ACP round and could only last a dozen rounds at most.

Failed Liberator

Zig Zag

In the spring of 2014, a video appeared on the Internet with a man shooting from a plastic revolver with a huge drum. The video greatly stirred up all of Japan. nine0006

Zig Zag

Unknown was Yoshitomo Imura (Yoshitomo Imura) - 28-year-old employee of the Shonan Institute of Technology. Despite Imuru's claim that he fired blanks on the tape, he was arrested and sentenced to 2 years in prison.

The Zig Zag design was a reimagining of revolvers popular in the 19th century, which used a rotating .38 caliber barrel block mounted on a pistol grip. nine0006

Washbear

In 2015, mechanical engineering student James Patrick posted a video online showing a 3D printed PM522 Washbear in operation.

PM522 Washbear

The PM522 visually resembled a children's pistol from a science fiction movie, but at the same time the pistol had a strong and rigid frame. Washbear is also safer than its predecessors. At rest, the firing mechanism was not in line with the primer, so the PM522 was protected from accidental firing, for example, when dropped. The only metal part was the nail that replaced the striker. nine0006

Rifle

Grizzly

Canadian with the nickname CanadianGunNut, ThreeD Ukulele or simply Matthew, inspired by the Liberator project, designed and posted his project - Grizzly. Grizzly is an ABS+ plastic rifle. It took the Canadian 3 days to design the rifle and another 27 hours to manufacture it using a Stratasys Dimension 1200es industrial 3D printer.

Grizzly 9 Rifle0216

The first version of the Grizzly had a smooth and straight .22 barrel. But this turned out to be not a very good decision, and the barrel cracked after the first shot. Subsequently, Matthew replaced the barrel with a tapered barrel with rifling inside.

Plastic “cutting” could not affect the ballistics of the bullet in any way, but added strength to the barrel.

Shotgun

Liberator 12k

The Liberator 12k is a 12-round shotgun made by a well-known, in narrow circles, enthusiast in the world of 3D printing - Jeff Rodriguez. nine0006

Liberator 12k

Rodriguez managed to create a simple and at the same time reliable design, "mixing" a pistol and a pump-action shotgun in the design of the Liberator 12k. A huge plus for manufacturing and reliability was the absence of small parts in the shotgun mechanism.

Since the plastic was not strong enough, Rodriguez reinforced the design of the Liberator 12k with metal pins and added metal tubes inside the barrel and drum. The metal parts were purchased from a regular hardware store, so anyone could easily make a Liberator 12k with their home 3D printer. nine0006
Semi-automatic weapons

Shuty-MP1

The first sign was the Shuty-MP1, a semi-automatic pistol made by an amateur gunsmith with the nickname Derwood, in April 2017.

Shuty-MP1

Shuty AP-9

The Shuty AP-9 still uses a pistol barrel, but the trigger and return spring are taken from the civilian version of the M16. This improved the reliability of the rifle. nine0006
Ethical use

Despite the negative examples of application, 3D printing is actively used in many areas, helping to save time and create products that cannot be produced by other methods.

Medicine

Implants

Metal-printing 3D printers are actively used in medicine for the manufacture of titanium implants. For example, a patient needs to have a hip joint implant made. According to the results of CT, the necessary area of bone tissue replacement is agreed with the doctors and a prosthesis model is created that is ideal for this patient. After all approvals, the finished model is sent for printing. nine0006

3D model of implant

The main areas of 3D printing of implants in medicine are maxillofacial surgery, traumatology, orthopedics, oncology and veterinary medicine. A big advantage over classical methods of manufacturing implants is the ability to create a cellular or porous structure. This allows for better integration of the prosthesis into the bone tissue.

nine0215 Samples of printed implants and pins

Dentures

The manufacture of even a relatively simple traction prosthesis is a rather laborious and lengthy process. 3D printing has reduced costs and accelerated the production of prostheses. In addition, it became possible to customize the prosthesis.

Customized child prostheses

Some enthusiasts are modeling and posting models and detailed instructions for assembling traction prosthetic hands and fingers in the public domain so that any user can print and make a prosthesis at home. nine0006

Simple Traction Hand Model

Production

Building custom drones

Aerialtronics is a small Dutch company that specializes in building unique, customized drones. Aerialtronics manufactures and develops unique drones, the characteristics of which can vary depending on the needs of the customer. nine0006

Initially, a basic concept model was designed, which consists of a platform and a set of elements that can be changed at the request of the customer. Changes can affect almost any part of the drone. The customer can choose the number of motors and their power, payload, flight time, supported software and much more.

Aerialtronics base model

But any, even minor changes in the characteristics and design of the drone required the manufacture of new elements and design changes. Classical manufacturing methods turned out to be quite laborious and long. To save time and money, a Stratasys uPrint SE Plus 3D printer was purchased. nine0006

Drone Assembly

Thanks to 3D printing, it was possible not only to speed up production, but also to devote more time to improving individual components, because the finished model is ready the next morning. Rapid manufacturing allows you to print a part, test it, make the necessary changes to the 3D model and make a new sample. Aerialtronics engineers manage to manufacture and test 8-10 variants of a part in a few days in order to achieve maximum quality. nine0006

Prototyping

Gas turbine prototyping.

Prototyping by traditional methods is often time consuming and expensive. Because of this, the price of an error in calculations and 3D modeling can be very expensive.

For example, the production of turbine engine parts is usually based on careful preparatory calculations, but even this does not always prevent errors in the production of a test prototype. After all, even the most modern software methods cannot replace physical tests. But due to the high cost (over $20,000), it becomes impossible to produce multiple prototypes for testing. nine0006

Turbine Technologies (Wisconsin, USA) and its subsidiary Kutrieb Research have found a way out - 3D printing. Thanks to the 3D Systems ProJet 3D printer, it was possible to reduce the cost of prototyping by about 10 times to $2,000.

3D model and printed part of turbine

A turbine model is printed on a wax 3D printer, tested and then cast from metal. In addition to the cost, it was possible to significantly speed up production. After all, the production of traditional stencils with filling in molds took up to 5 weeks, and the 3D printed model is ready by the morning. nine0006

Totals

Despite the unethical side of 3D printing, there are still more positive use cases. 3D printers have become indispensable assistants in various industries - from home hobbies to serious industries. With the help of 3D printers, unique products are made that could not be obtained using other machines.

Popularization of 3D printers is a matter of time. But do not forget that 3D printing is just a tool, just like a drill or a hammer. It depends only on the user how it will be used.