3D PRINTING , OR additive manufacturing ( the official term for production based on 3D technology ), has been used by the automotive and aerospace industries to build prototypes for some time now , and over the last few years , 3D printing technologies have evolved at a rapid pace . Fashion designers , architects , artists , and food technicians are experimenting with it in their respective fields . The new technology ’ s potential seems almost boundless . Nike , for example , recently launched the first athletic shoe including 3D-printed components .
3D print technology makes it possible to create nearly any geometric form with the help of design software – incorporating hollow spaces and filigree honeycomb structures , for example , that are much lighter than traditionally manufactured components , but offer the same stability . In medical technology , 3D printing has already achieved standards on a par with traditional manufacturing methods . Dental crowns , hip joint prosthetics , and customised hearing aid shells : 3D printing is used wherever “ replacement parts ” for the body are
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