Technology 1/4
What do 007's Aston Martin, engine parts for a jet aircraft and a 3D printer have in common? That they have all been
manufactured using a 3D printer. Yes. You did read that correctly. A 3D printer printing another 3D printer.
Dr. Catherine Wilson investigates this developing technology, the myths and its implications for sustainability
3D printing and
sustainability:
the jury is out...
Three-dimensional (3D) printers are not
new. The technology first emerged about
25 years ago, as expensive, large industrialised 3D printers, used by engineers and
designers as a method of rapid prototyp-
ing. It is no surprise that first applications
came from cash-rich industries, such as
medical aids, aerospace and car-making.
It is only in recent years that the technology has been used to make final products.
As the process has become less expensive,
more accessible and new materials have
become available, the technology has
quickly gained momentum. Recent years
have seen the advance of compact, open-
