3D printing is a manufacturing technology that creates a three-dimensional object by spraying successive layers of material. 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is used exactly the opposite of traditional manufacturing. Instead of processing or carving out materials like a sculptor cuts out clay, 3D printing builds materials layer by layer. Product designers and engineers upload digital (CAD) files to a 3D printer to create 3D printed parts.
The most frequently used material for 3D printing is thermoplastics, but photopolymers, epoxy resins, metals, etc. can also be used. A state-of-the-art bio-ink that uses a mixture of human cells and gelatin is also used to 3D print complex tissue models. Even edible ingredients like chocolate are being used in 3D printers.