3D printing, or additive manufacturing, has been big news in recent years. There's been a flurry of interest in the ability to print anything and everything, from guns to lampshades, that has really captured the imagination of the masses. Essentially, 3D printing enables the production of a 3D object based on a digital model, in a huge variety of materials, including plastic and metals. The applications of 3D printing are many and varied. Clothes designers are experimenting with 3D printed shoes, dresses ad bikinis, while food companies are using 3D printing to form chocolate and sweets to develop exciting new products. Manufacturers are seeing the benefits of being able to develop prototypes much faster and more cost-efficiently in a whole host of sectors, including the production of land and aerial vehicles. Meanwhile, the medical sector is making great strides in utilising 3D printing to create customised implants, for orthopaedics and splints, for example.
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