Can you make anything with a 3d printer

Can 3D Printers Print Anything? – 3D Printerly

3D printing is a fairly modern technology which has had its capabilities questioned many times over the years. Many people wonder whether 3D printers can print absolutely anything so I’ve decided to make a post on it and try to answer it as good as I can.

Can a 3D printer print anything? No, 3D printers can’t print anything in terms of materials and shapes. 3D printers require specific properties in materials to 3D print such as thermoplastics like PLA that soften when heated rather than burn. They can print almost any shape, structure and object with the right orientation and help of supports.

That’s the simple answer but I will go into more important details about what a 3D printer can print and its limitations.

What Can a 3D Printer Actually Print?

So generally, a 3D printer does a wonderful job at printing most objects in terms of their shapes and structures and there are several examples of 3D printers doing almost the impossible.

A 3D printer can print almost any shapes no matter how complex and detailed because it’s done in extremely fine layers and builds up an object from the bottom, up from the printing surface.

The usual layer height that people use is 0.2mm but they can go as low as 0.05mm per layer, but this would take an extremely long time to print!

It means that even if there are curves, gaps or sharp edges, a 3D printer will print right through these obstacles.

I’ve created a nice post on 51 Functional, Useful Objects Created with 3D Printing which showcases many examples of the beneficial objects you can create.  Here’s a brief list of functional objects that 3D printers have created:

• A whole house
• The body of a vehicle
• An electric guitar
• Prototypes of all kinds
• Detailed action figures and characters
• Battery size converter to change those small AA batteries to C size
• A phone lockbox that you put your phone in and hide the key in another room!
• Tesla Cybertruck doorstop
• DSLR lens cap replacements
• Pet food dispenser if your pets usually eat too fast
• 3D printed heart valves
• Replacement coolant cap for your car

The list of items that people 3D print with are growing at insane rates each year, so we can only imagine the abilities and expansions we will see with 3D printing in the future.

3D printing is used in the automotive, medical, aerospace, home improvement, arts & design, cosplay, nerf gun, drone industries and tons more.

It’s the perfect hobby for a hobbyist because it can really expand into any hobby with a little bit of creativity and a can-do attitude. Imagine being a decorator and you find a hole behind a particular area where it’s hard to fill.

One individual actually 3D printed a wall cavity by 3D scanning it then inserting it into place and painting over it.

You might be thinking, what about shapes that hang over too far so it has no foundation underneath? You can’t just print in midair right?

Technically, no, but the advancement in 3D printing technology has created and made use of something called ‘supports’.

These are pretty self-explanatory and what they do is build a foundation underneath such objects to essentially support the object being printed. Once the object is finished and printed, the supports are then removed so it looks like nothing was ever there.

The possibilities of 3D printing really are endless.

The limitations of 3D printers have definitely been gradually decreasing over time.

Say, 10 years ago, a 3D printer had nowhere near the capabilities that it has today, from the materials that it can process to even the advancement in types of printing such as metals.

You have multiple technologies within 3D printing that aren’t held back by the same limitations as other technologies, so if you have a specific project, you can figure out what would work best for you.

Check the video out below that goes through some of the different 3D printing technologies.

What Are the Limitations of A 3D Printer?

Manufacturing Speed

Although 3D printing has the ability to create objects that traditional manufacturing methods would find extremely hard to create, it’s manufacturing speed per product does hold it back.

You can create customized, unique products that give huge benefits to an individual but being able to scale such items is a limitation of 3D printing.

That’s why it’s unlikely that 3D printing will be taking over the manufacturing industry any time soon, but this is a topic that is being looked at in the 3D printing industry. It did, however, take over the hearing aid industry in a very short space of time.

There are 3D printers out there that are extremely fast compared to how they used to be.

Below is a video that shows exactly that. They showcase a 3D printer which prints at 500mm per second which is exceptionally fast compared to your normal speeds of around 50mm per second.

There are types of printing which print in layers at a time rather than extruding every part of an object so speed can definitely be upgraded.

Can be Overwhelming for Beginners

It’s easy for individuals to get involved in 3D printing but there are many aspects that make it quite difficult. For 3D printing to really progress and develop into a common household product, it needs fewer steps and a simpler process for people to get started.

Many 3D printers are being made in a plug-and-play type of deal so this is certainly a problem being solved.

Other aspects such as designing your own prints can have quite the learning curve so when a complete beginner thinks about getting involved with 3D printing, they can get quite overwhelmed.

3D Scanner Applications

Rather than having to design, you have the choice to use a 3D scanner, with even smartphones giving 3D scanner options that you can make use of. The very accurate 3D scanners that are out there are pretty expensive so it’s definitely a deterrent for most people to try out.

I think in due time, as things progress, we will start to get cheap 3D scanners that work very well.

The great thing is that many people design things that are free for people to download and print directly. It saves you having to go through the creative process to make use of 3D printing.

Wrong Ideas of What 3D Printing Can Do

Sure, 3D printing can do tons of things that wouldn’t have been possible for the majority of people to begin to attempt, but people don’t know the real limitations.

As previously mentioned, the remarkable progress that manufacturers have made in the 3D printing space can only be applauded and I think they will continue to push through.

We cannot print objects outside the scope of what the actual material is extruded, so we can’t print electronic parts, wiring, motors, drivers etc. We can, however, print many of the parts which attach to these mechanical and electronic parts as a mount, holder or connector for these objects.

For example, many people out there have 3D printed prosthetic limbs, hearing aids, cosplay suits and accessories, DIY home modifications and much more.

Can a 3D Printer Print Another 3D Printer?

The age-old question, if 3D printers are so remarkable, why don’t you just 3D printer another 3D printer right? Well, you might be pleasantly surprised at just how much a good quality 3D printer can do for you.

A well-known 3D printer company called RepRap set out to do exactly what you’re asking and they got pretty good at it.

Now because there are motors, drivers, power supply units and other objects that cannot be 3D printed, we won’t be able to completely 3D print a 3D printer, but we can basically do everything else.

RepRap started the first step towards 3D printing a 3D printer and many other creators have taken part and added to the wealth of knowledge to develop more efficient and easily replicated products that do the same thing.

Check out the video below for a great visual on exactly what I’m talking about.

There’s another popular 3D printed 3D printer called ‘Snappy’ which actually snaps together each part so you don’t need many external products to get it combined. We’ve come very far in the 3D printing journey and it’s still a relatively new technology.

Can You Print Paper Money with a 3D Printer?

You’re probably not the first person with this idea unfortunately! But no, a 3D printer cannot print paper money. What it can print similarly is something called a lithophane.

These are pretty cool objects that create 3D objects out of 2D ones. Many people use it to emboss photos and other cool designs onto a surface.

It works by printing the design and ‘thickness’ of a print to show different levels of shading which when light shines through, produces a nice clear image.

How Small of an Object Can a 3D Printer Print?

You might be quite surprised at just how small an object can be printed from a 3D printer. How about smaller than an ant’s forehead? That’s exactly what artist Jonty Hurwitz specializes in and does extremely effectively.

He created the world’s smallest sculpture called nano sculptures, made using 3D printed photosensitive material. When putting an object in comparison to it’s size, you’d find that it’s no wider than the width of a human hair and would resemble a spec of dust in the sunlight.

The creation was made using a specialized version of 3D printing called Multiphoton Lithography, which was designed using Quantum Physics by using two photon absorption, really high-level stuff here. It just shows the strides that 3D printing can really go to when research and development is put into it.

You definitely wouldn’t be able to see these amazingly small prints with the naked eye, it would take a very strong microscope to make out the details as you can make out in the picture above.

Even a jewellers 400x magnification-powered microscope doesn’t have the facilities to do this. It took a 30-year specialist in human-cell studies to acquire a machine powerful enough to produce a detailed image.

Can A 3D Printer Print Something Bigger Than Itself?

A 3D printer can only print something within its build volume, but what you can do is print off parts which can be assembled to create one larger object. The same way a 3D printer can create another 3D printer.

A printer that can produce many of its own parts is the RepRap snappy, which (as the name suggests) consists of plastic parts that – while they each fit within the build volume – snap together to make up the larger parts for the printer.

What many people do when printing whole costumes such as a full Iron Man suit or storm-trooper outfit, they will design the whole model then split the model within a slicer application which is where you

Any specific 3D printer will have a limited build volume so techniques have been devised to get around this limitation. You can 3D print objects that snap together, like the snappy 3D printer that is a whole 3D printer frame that snaps into place.

You can also create a print that requires screws to put together or actually 3D print the screws and threads yourself.

20 Amazing Stuff You Can Make With 3D Printers

If you can print in 2D, can you print in 3D? Well, the technology is already here. You can print out 3-dimensional objects based on a working template, and they aren’t just for show. They actually work! Manufacturers can provide you with a template where you can print a broken part of a machinery, let’s say, a screw, rather than order then wait for a replacement to come in.

Alternatively, you can make a model replica of an expensive car, like a 1960 Aston Martin DB5 in a 1:3 scale then crash and burn it for entertainment, like how the makers of the James Bond flick, Skyfall did.

3D printing is made possible by fusing layers upon layers of materials made from durable plastics and metals based on a template, designed with a 3D Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software. Each layer is about 0.1 mm thick and consist of liquid, powder and sheet materials.

With this technology and a 3D printer, you can create designs or print 3D models of just about anything under the sun, provided you have the templates. Just to give you a taste of what 3D printing can do, here are 20 amazing masterpieces made from 3D printing.

10 Cheap and Affordable 3D Printers to Buy

10 Cheap and Affordable 3D Printers to Buy

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1. A Working Gun

In the past, 3D printed firearms easily break after firing a few rounds. However today, non-profit corporation Defense Distributed offers users to download the necessary files to print your own firearms provided you have a 3D printer at home.

Here’s a video of one of their creations firing at semi-auto and full-auto modes.

2. 3D Printed Acoustic Guitar

Scott Summi created the world’s first 3D printed acoustic guitar, which means the rest of us now know it can be done.

With 3D printing, guitars can be made with plastic, complete with the metal soundhole cover and heel joint. Apart from making working musical instruments, avid guitarists can also make a 3D replica of the guitars of their favorite musicians or idols.

3. Hand-made Camera Lens

A camera lens is complex to create, but with 3D printing you can make your own lens and even stumble upon some creative and unique results.

The creator of this camera lens used acrylic to replace the glass on the lens and other tools and machines to combine the many small parts together. And best of all, the lens works! Check out these few pictures taken with 3D printed lens.

4. Shakuhachi Flute

This is a beautiful Japanese flute made out of stainless steel, 3D printed. It comes with a few different finishes such as gold plated matte or glossy and antique bronze matte (pictured below). The flute is 9.4 inches long and has a tiny dragon design if you look closely enough.

You can buy this beautiful music instrument for $239.95. Can you imagine what this means for fans of fantasy movies?

5. Rigid Heddle Loom

If you’re into weaving fabric then you could create this rigid heddle loom with a 3D printer and some raw plastic material; the whole thing held together by screws. The creator used a 3D modeller program called openSCAD to design this.

History class would be a whole lot more interesting when you can see actual tools of the trades from a period in time.

6. 3D Figurines From Children’s Drawings

Ever wanted to turn one of your child’s drawings into something ‘real’, from a drawing to maybe a sculpture? Well now you can, for 99 Euros. Your child’s colorful drawing can be turned into a work of art thanks to 3D printing.

The object is about 4 inches in length and can be used to decorate your work desk or home or be used as a trophy for your kid’s artistic talents.

7. 3D Fetus

"3D scans" of your unborn child is taking on a whole new meaning. Instead of a picture of your ultrasound, a Japanese company is now giving you a ‘Shape of an Angel’, a 3D print of your foetus for $1275. The 3D model is created by 3D processed image data with BioTexture.

8. 3D Printed Medical Models

When it comes to tech, science has to have a dab in it. With 3D printing, doctors would have a cheaper alternative to learn about the human anatomy and also be able to inject realism into surgery practice without the use of cadavers.

Since the printing of these medical models is so accurate, surgeons can also plan a surgery on a printed model like this before the real patient goes under the knife.

9. Electric Light Shoe

This shoe filled with intricate detail and lights is 1 meter long and not a pair of shoes you can wear. It was used as an Onitsuka Tiger commercial and created with a 3D printer. The link says you can purchase it for 5879.83 Euros and keep it as a modern sculpture in your home.

10. iPhone Case & Card Holder

This creation by Janne Kyttanen might look like a well designed iPhone 5 case, but it’s really more functional than that. It can also hold two cards too.

It’s named the Mondriaan Case which is derived from the painter, Piet Mondrian, who liked the design of multiple horizontal and vertical lines. There are 3 colors to choose from for a price of $34.99.

11. Gear Wraps

If you like to bring your gear around with you and want it to be organized neatly, then you could buy this 3D printed Gear Wraps that can save you the hassle and time of untangling your many cables.

It can be printed in a wide variety of different colors and ranges from a price of 10 to 20 Euros depending on the color you choose.

12. Infinite Sisu – iPad Stand

This stand is inspired by a Finnish concept of determination; the little muscular ‘man’ holding up the iPad is pretty hard to miss. This is definitely a work of art which you can purchase at a price of $161.

It might seem pricey for an over-glorified smartphone or tablet stand, but it’s the hefty price you pay for any kind of beautiful art.

13. Customizable 3D Printed Bugdroids

Android enthusiasts would love an Android figurine to display on their desks, but what’s awesome about these 3D printed ones is that they have custom themes to describe your personality.

There are 25 designs to choose from for a price of $21.99; if you don’t find something that describes you, there is the option to customize your own Bugdroid at a starting price of $29.99.

14. Hanging Light

From the same person who created the iPhone 5 case above, here is the Palm Lamp. Janne Kyttanen created this eye-catching work of art which comes in a variety of sizes. Use it as part of your decor, as a standing lamp, a table or ceiling light fixture.

15. Kaleidoscope Clock

Here is a two-piece 3D-printed clock, which comes in two parts, Part A and Part B. The clock is split into 2 ‘faces’, the purple numbered face and the design face behind it.

With a few instructions, you can put the two together and have it up and running in no time. The white Kaleidoscope Clock kit is available for a total of $51 or a black one for $61.

16. 3D Anatomica di Revolutis Sculptural

This work of art is the creation of one of the most recognized 3D printing designer Joshua Harker. It’s printed with polyamide, a combination of nylon and glass fused together with a laser. Check the link out for more close-up photos of this fascinating and intricate creation.

17. Coffee Cups

These are espresso coffee cups printed out of Glazed Ceramics. The printing process takes almost a full day, and the One Cup a Day project aims to design and create 30 unique cups in 30 days. You can purchase their creations from this website where prices range from $36 to $77.

19. 3D-Printed Fabrics

Designer Jiri Evenhuise worked together with Janne Kyttanen to make the needle and thread obsolete by using a software that collects a person’s body data to instantly create perfect fitting clothing.

This type of technology is recyclable, requires less labor, shortens production time and ultimately lowers the carbon footprint for a greener way to create clothing. Plus, you can be sure that clothing you buy online can fit you like a glove.

20. 3D Printed Bikini – N21

This high-tech bikini is made from Nylon 12, a strong, flexible and 0. 7 mm thin material that is waterproof. Because of this, the creators said it’s ideal for swimwear and actually becomes more comfortable when exposed to water. This futuristic 3D clothing costs $200-300 and can be ordered from this website.

50 Cool Things to 3D Print / Sudo Null IT News

No ideas for 3D printing? Tired of worthless trinkets? Here is a list of 50 cool really useful things for 3D printing.

Like us, you're excited about the possibilities of 3D printing. But, unfortunately, the horizon is littered with trinkets, trinkets and other unnecessary things. We are in danger of being buried under a heap of useless rubbish.

Throw off the shackles of mediocrity! Let's create really useful things! Here is a list of cool things that you can make on a 3D printer right now. Prove to your family and loved ones that this wonderful technology can be used daily and in practice.

No access to 3D printer? No problem. Just upload your files to our 3D printing price comparison system and choose the best price, ONLINE!

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