Jewelry, weird figurines, furniture, toys, phone cases–the plastic objects you can design and make with 3D printers are only limited by your creativity.
The MakerBot factory is located in Brookyln, New York.
For more on 3D printing, see:
–10 facts on 3D printing: Understanding tech’s next big game-changer
–10 industries 3D printing will disrupt or decimate
–3D printing: 10 factors still holding it back
–3D printing: A primer for business and technology professionals
XYZ Workshop created a 3D printed chess set, and the pieces double as mini planters. Plant grass, herbs, anything–it can be used indoors or outdoors.
For more on 3D printing, see:
–10 facts on 3D printing: Understanding tech’s next big game-changer
–3D printing: 10 factors still holding it back
–3D printing: A primer for business and technology professionals
A cute octopus-shaped SD card holder is a featured item this week on MakerBot’s Thingiverse. Users have created it in many different colors.
For more on 3D printing, see:
–10 facts on 3D printing: Understanding tech’s next big game-changer
–3D printing: 10 factors still holding it back
–3D printing: A primer for business and technology professionals
A guitar with a 3D-printed body, on display at the Inside 3D Printing event in New York. The 3D-printed parts were made using a CubeX printer from 3D Systems.
For more on 3D printing, see:
–10 facts on 3D printing: Understanding tech’s next big game-changer
–10 industries 3D printing will disrupt or decimate
–3D printing: 10 factors still holding it back
–3D printing: A primer for business and technology professionals
This Thingiverse user wrote: “I wanted to be able to dock my S3 with its external case on. So I created this thing.” Simple enough. This is the downloadable design for the dock.
For more on 3D printing, see:
–10 facts on 3D printing: Understanding tech’s next big game-changer
–10 industries 3D printing will disrupt or decimate
–3D printing: 10 factors still holding it back
–3D printing: A primer for business and technology professionals
Why wouldn’t you want a Storm Trooper pen cup? The design can be found on MakerBot Thingiverse, which has more than 100,000 digital designs of things that can be made with 3D printers.
For more on 3D printing, see:
–10 facts on 3D printing: Understanding tech’s next big game-changer
–3D printing: 10 factors still holding it back
–3D printing: A primer for business and technology professionals
This is the Elder Wand from Harry Potter, in two pieces. The design was made to print with the MakerBot Replicator 2 and is available for free download.
For more on 3D printing, see:
–10 facts on 3D printing: Understanding tech’s next big game-changer
–3D printing: 10 factors still holding it back
–3D printing: A primer for business and technology professionals
Shapeways is a website where customers can connect with designers and order customized products such as jewelry, home decor, games, and art.
For more on 3D printing, see:
–10 facts on 3D printing: Understanding tech’s next big game-changer
–3D printing: 10 factors still holding it back
–3D printing: A primer for business and technology professionals
“The Liberator” is the world’s first fully 3D printed gun. Fifteen of its 16 parts are made of plastic and can be printed overnight.
For more on 3D printing, see:
–10 facts on 3D printing: Understanding tech’s next big game-changer
–3D printing: 10 factors still holding it back
–3D printing: A primer for business and technology professionals
Last year, a “Robohand” was printed on a MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D printer. It became a cost-effective way to create substitute fingers instead of buying prosthetics.
For more on 3D printing, see:
–10 facts on 3D printing: Understanding tech’s next big game-changer
–3D printing: 10 factors still holding it back
–3D printing: A primer for business and technology professionals
Cornell bioengineers and physicians created an artificial ear that looks and acts like a natural one. Bioprinting is a rapidly growing area of research–so far, scientists have also successfully printed noses and stem cells and prosthetics.
For more on 3D printing, see:
–10 facts on 3D printing: Understanding tech’s next big game-changer
–3D printing: 10 factors still holding it back
–3D printing: A primer for business and technology professionals
For more on 3D printing, see:
–10 facts on 3D printing: Understanding tech’s next big game-changer
–3D printing: 10 factors still holding it back
–3D printing: A primer for business and technology professionals
The Gigabot 3D printer is larger, more affordable, and is being used to print logos for StartUp Chile, a Chilean government program for emerging entrepreneurs.
For more on 3D printing, see:
–10 facts on 3D printing: Understanding tech’s next big game-changer
–10 industries 3D printing will disrupt or decimate
–3D printing: 10 factors still holding it back
–3D printing: A primer for business and technology professionals
The Objet500 Connex3 can build up to 45 colors in one print job. Stratasys is marketing this $330,000 machine to companies looking to carry out small batch productions of products–for example, bike helmets.
For more on 3D printing, see:
–10 facts on 3D printing: Understanding tech’s next big game-changer
–10 industries 3D printing will disrupt or decimate
–3D printing: 10 factors still holding it back
–3D printing: A primer for business and technology professionals
3D Systems’ ProJet 460Plus is a professional full-color 3D printer made for businesses.
For more on 3D printing, see:
–10 facts on 3D printing: Understanding tech’s next big game-changer
–3D printing: 10 factors still holding it back
–3D printing: A primer for business and technology professionals
Made in Space Deputy Program Manager Matthew Napoli examines a 3D printed piece at Marshall Space Flight Center . The 3D printer, as part of the 3D Print Experiment in coordination with NASA, is scheduled to arrive at the International Space Station (ISS) in 2014.
For more on 3D printing, see:
–10 facts on 3D printing: Understanding tech’s next big game-changer
–3D printing: 10 factors still holding it back
–3D printing: A primer for business and technology professionals
Mark Forged developed the world’s first 3D printer that uses carbon fiber, which is strong and lightweight. The Mark One can print in carbon fiber, fiberglass, nylon, and PLA, and the machine itself is sleek enough to fit on a desk.
For more on 3D printing, see:
–10 facts on 3D printing: Understanding tech’s next big game-changer
–3D printing: 10 factors still holding it back
–3D printing: A primer for business and technology professionals
Lyndsey Gilpin is a former Staff Writer for TechRepublic, covering sustainability and entrepreneurship. She's co-author of the book Follow the Geeks.
