3D printing technology is advancing very rapidly, and today, it can be used to print many more things than most people realize. In this article, we look at ten innovative examples of what's possible today.

1. What Can 3D
Here Are
10 Amazing Examples
Printing Be Used For?

2. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
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IntroductionIntroduction
3D printing technology is advancing very rapidly, and today, it can be used to print
many more things than most people realize. In this article, we look at ten innovative
examples of what's possible today.
It may seem distinctly low-tech compared to some of the many technology trends I
write about, but 3D and 4D printing will have very wide applications – and could be
particularly powerful when combined with other trends like mass personalization. In this
article, I look at some of the surprising things that can now be created with 3D printers.
What Can 3D Printing Be Used For? Here Are 10
Amazing Examples

3. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
How does 3D printing work?
3D printing (also known as “additive manufacturing”) involves creating a 3D object from a
digital file, building it up layer by layer. So, if you were to slice a finished 3D printed object
open, you’d be able to see each of the thin layers, a bit like rings in a tree trunk.
Before printing anything, you need a 3D model of the object you’re trying to create. The
computer model is then "sliced," essentially dividing it into hundreds (or potentially
thousands) of layers. This information is fed to the 3D printer, and, hey presto, it prints the
object slice by slice.
The main benefit of this approach is that even complex shapes can be created much more
easily and using less materials than traditional manufacturing methods (which is good for
the environment and the bottom line). Transport needs are reduced, since parts and
products can be printed on-site.

4. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
How does 3D printing work?
And one-off items can be made quickly and easily, without worrying about economies of
scale – which could be a game-changer for rapid prototyping, custom manufacturing, and
creating highly personalized products. What’s more, the materials used for 3D printing can
be pretty much anything: plastic, obviously, but also metal, powder, concrete, liquid, even
chocolate.

5. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
How does 4D printing differ?
4D printing is the same as 3D printing, but with a twist – namely, a built-in ability for the
printed object to transform itself. In other words, the object being created can be
programmed to change its shape when prompted by certain triggers, such as water or
heat. For example, a storage carton could flatten itself, or a structure could repair itself
after weather damage. Essentially, 4D printing is the cutting edge of additive
manufacturing, which means it’s still very much in the experimental stage.

6. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Amazing examples of 3D and 4D printing in
action
As you can probably imagine, 3D and 4D printing have the potential to transform
manufacturing. But these technologies have much wider applications beyond
manufacturing settings – and many of these applications might surprise you. Here are
some unexpected items that can now be successfully printed.
1. Bones and muscles
At the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, researchers have been able to
print bones, muscles, and ears – a process known as bioprinting – and implant them
successfully into animals. What’s really exciting is the printed tissue survived after being
implanted and became functional tissue.
2. Ovaries
Overcoming infertility is often a long, painful, and expensive process. But one pioneering
experiment gives hope that we might see an innovative new treatment approach in the
future. At the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, a mouse
was implanted with synthetic, printed ovaries. The mouse went on to give birth to healthy
babies.

7. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Amazing examples of 3D and 4D printing in
action
3. Pastries
Ukrainian architect-turned-pastry-chef Dinara Kasko has made a name for herself on
Instagram by posting pictures of her striking geometric 3D printed pastries. And Kasko
isn’t the only one printing food…
4. Pizza
The Foodini 3D food printer, made by Natural Machines, is designed to create
personalized printed food. It can print pizza, bean burgers, and a range of healthier
options using edible ingredients.
5. Buildings
Russian startup Apis Cor is able to 3D print a modest house in just 24 hours, and save up
to 40 percent on construction costs. The mobile printer lays down layers of a concrete
mixture to build up the walls, then, once the printer is removed, insulation, windows, and a
roof are added. And because Apis Cor’s printing devices are mobile, houses can be printed
on-site rather than in a factory.

8. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Amazing examples of 3D and 4D printing in
action
6. A boat
The University of Maine set a Guinness World Record when it 3D printed the largest boat
ever printed – a 25-foot, 5,000-pound boat called 3Dirigo. The supersize printer used to
create the boat is able to print objects up to 100 feet long and 22 feet wide.
7. A kayak
Proving that you don't need an industrial kit to create impressive 3D printed objects, Jim
Smith of Grass Roots Engineering created a full-size kayak on a home printer over the
course of 42 days. Fully watertight and working, the colorful kayak took around $500
worth of materials to make.
8. Artwork for the blind
3D printing is even being used to give blind art lovers the ability to appreciate classic
paintings, by turning those paintings into 3D printed sculptures.

9. © 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Amazing examples of 3D and 4D printing in
action
9. Yourself (in miniature)
Thanks to startup company Beheld’s 3D printing technology, you can create a mini
figurine of yourself. The perfect gift for loved ones? Sure.
10. Shape memory materials
4D printing is certainly less common than 3D printing, but one example shows how it
could be used in the future. Researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
have printed silicone material that is flexible and can adapt itself when heat is applied. This
could, for example, be used to create truly customizable, form-fitting shoes that adapt to
the wearer’s feet.
3D and 4D printing are just one of 25 technology trends that I believe will transform our
society. Read more about these key trends – including plenty of real-world examples – in
my new book, Tech Trends in Practice: The 25 Technologies That Are Driving The 4th
Industrial Revolution.

10. Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website
© 2020 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved© 2017 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
© 2020 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website

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