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3D Printing Basics

3D printing is any one of many processes in which a part is additively created by introducing or bonding additional material. 3D printed objects can be geometrically complex and are ideal in a wide variety of manufacturing applications. Machines can cost anywhere from hundreds to millions of dollars and utilize a wide variety of technologies to print parts.

Introduction to 3D Printing

According to the Wohler's Report, the global 3D printing industry is expected to exceed $21B in worldwide revenue by 2020. Much of this growth comes from an explosion in using 3D printing in manufacturing, something previously thought impossible when the process caught on. New materials, processes, and companies are popping up by the minute, all making promises about the unrivaled properties their parts can achieve. All this adds up to an industry that can be hard to understand.


In this track, we're getting back to the basics. What is 3D printing? What are the main technologies out there today? How much do industrial 3D printers cost? You can learn all this in our 3D printing introduction.