Introduction

Imagine a future in which you can print a solid object using your computer.  A future in which we can have tangible goods delivered to us on our computer desktops through the internet. And a future in which we can skip the activities of mass pre-production and stock holding by turning virtual reality into hard reality. Such a future may sound something out of science fiction. The replicator in Star Trek.   

Yes! Such thing is a reality now.  It's called 3D Printing.  

Why print in 3D?  When Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press about 560 years ago, he paved revolutionary way in the transformation of knowledge, learning and communication. 

However, the printing press which prints in 2 Dimensional (2D), is limited by what we visually see. We can not  touch or manipulate  in a physical way of what was printed.  Then a question asked - Can you build something just by printing?  Well that is possible only in 3D form.

What is 3D Printing? Essentially 3D printing is the process of making 3-dimensional objects (physical objects) of any shape by adding material layer by layer.  Another term for 3D Printing is Additive Manufacturing.