54 Fun And Useful Things People Printed With Their 3D Printers

3D printing essentially involves taking a digital file and then using that info to layer various materials like plastics, composites, or bio-materials to create whatever object you want, with whatever properties you want. Size, texture, material, color, rigidity, flexibility, etc—everything is up for grabs.

The 3D printing industry is predicted to be worth a jaw-dropping $84 billion by 2029 as the technology’s capabilities continue to soar. This continued spread of 3D printing tech makes it highly likely that you and I will, eventually, interact with products, homes, buildings, toys, prosthetics, medical models and implants made with this tech.

To say that we’re excited for the future of this tech is underselling things.

One of the coolest things about this tech is that it completely shifts timelines. If you urgently need protective medical gear (like healthcare workers did during the pandemic) or a niche replacement part for an important piece of machinery, you can, effectively, use a 3D printer to get what you need instantly instead of waiting days, weeks, or months.

Meanwhile, companies can use this speed to iterate on prototypes and test out products incredibly quickly.

3D printing can be incredibly efficient, quick, economical, and even eco-friendly. The technology has come a long way over the past few decades since it was created.

Even though the hype surrounding 3D printing has dimmed, the tech has proven to be very solid. It is practical and commercially viable in the manufacturing and automotive industries.

It is now used in a wide range of niches, from mass manufacturing and medicine to everyday maintenance (e.g., part replacement), hobbyist DIY, and even art.

The ‘3D Printing’ online community has been inspiring and amusing the internet with awesome designs and projects for the past 16 years, since early 2010. It is one of the most popular 3D printing communities on the internet, with a whopping 1.1 million weekly visitors and 25k weekly contributions on the subreddit.

The moderators of the awesome and friendly community emphasize that this is a place for everyone, amateur and veteran alike. It is a community “where makers of all skill levels and walks of life can learn about and discuss 3D printing and development of 3D printed parts and devices.”

Earlier, Bored Panda interviewed Germany-based computer vision engineer Sricharan Chiruvolu. He was kind enough to share his thoughts on 3D printing, including its applications and upsides, with our team.

He emphasized that 3D printing has affected the common consumer goods market, allowing for more personalized, custom-made items, whether you’re talking about phone cases or prosthetics.

“Also, it [3D printing] helps to bring down the production cost for a few products, giving customers more access to distinctive designs,” the expert told us earlier.

One huge upside of this technology is that it cuts the costs of creating prototypes. This way, businesses can quickly and cheaply test new products, parts, and designs.

“It has brought about faster distribution of prototypes, thus hastening market entry for new products, while on-demand creation has also prolonged product life for many consumers,” Chiruvolu explained.

“Through 3D printing, waste can be reduced by using only the required materials for each product; it also supports local production that could reduce transit-related emissions.”