From futuristic concept to creative hobby to new industrial revolution, 3D printing has had a tumultuous journey of self-actualization since it first emerged in the 1980s. Originally conceived as rapid prototyping technology during the expansion phase of 3D CAD, early 3D printers rarely saw use outside of form modeling in well-funded R&D centers. The specialized labor requirements (3D CAD was still considered a rare skill in the 90s!) and high costs made it prohibitively expensive for the average prototype. As the technology matured through the 1990s and 2000s and early patents neared expiration, 3D printers proliferated through open source initiatives […]