Someone once wowed the world by inventing a desktop device that allowed people to print black-and-white documents from the comfort of their own homes. It was a technological breakthrough and not long after, parents were proudly printing photo-quality images for their children’s endless school projects.
Today’s kids will never know the struggles of paper jams, running out of ink, or dodgy connections going down. They’re printing toys, fidgets, and even their own building blocks from scratch. It’s all thanks to yet another technological breakthrough in the form of 3D printers. But it’s not a hobby reserved for children.
Houses, hearts, prosthetic limbs and food are among some of the incredible creations being 3D printed around the world. From amateurs to experts, everyone is jumping on the bandwagon with their brilliant designs. Dozens of online communities have popped up, serving as virtual 3D printing galleries. Bored Panda has paid a visit to a bunch of them, to select the most awe-inspiring examples of innovative creativity.
#1 Ukrainian Soldiers Andrii And Vitalii Received Their 3D Printed Bionic Arms Today
Image source: EatPrayNub
#2 I’m Kinda Liking This 3D Printing Thing
Image source: adoan412
#3 Italian Guy Designed A 3D Printable Valve To Turn Scuba Mask Into A Ventilator Mask. And It’s Free!
Image source: cirippo
It might seem like 3D printers only entered the scene fairly recently but they’ve actually been around since the 80s. The first one was invented by a guy called Chuck Hull back in 1984. The seed had been planted a few years earlier when, in 1981, Dr. Hideo Kodama of the Nagoya Municipal Industrial Research Institute published a paper detailing a rapid prototyping system.
“His idea involved using a UV light to harden photosensitive polymers layer by layer,” explains Snapmaker.com. “Unfortunately, Dr. Kodama failed to file the full patent requirements before his one-year deadline, and his groundbreaking concept was never officially credited as the first patented 3D printer.”
#4 3D Printed Lifsized Star-Wars Droids
Image source: kahnindustries
#5 A 3D Printed Julius Caesar Pencil Holder
Image source: olyfrijole
#6 Octopus Inspired Can Coozie I Digitally Modeled And 3D Printed
Image source: philandering_pilot
Hull, an American engineer, won the race in 1984, when successfully filed a patent for a process he called Stereolithography (SLA).
“Hull’s machine used a UV laser to trace shapes into a vat of liquid photopolymer resin, curing it into solid plastic layer by layer,” the site explains, adding that Hull didn’t just invent the hardware; he also co-created the .stl file format. The pioneer later went on to found 3D Systems, one of the largest additive manufacturing companies in the world.
#7 Surgeon Let Me Keep The 3D Printed Skulls Made For My Fracture Operation – Before (L) And After (R)
Image source: srv656s
#8 Call To Action For Those With 3D Printers!
Image source: stevenrdoty
#9 My Moms 3D Printed Cast. She Can Take A Shower With It!
Image source: [deleted]
Someone called Scott Crump came along in 1989 and decided to turn 3D printing on its head a little bit. At a time when SLA was using liquid resin and lasers, Crump introduced and patented Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM).
“FDM melted a continuous spool of thermoplastic filament and extruded it through a heated nozzle, building the object layer by layer,” explains Snapmaker, an innovative printer manufacturer. “Crump founded Stratasys, and FDM quickly became the most widely recognized form of 3D printing.”
#10 I 3D Printed My Son’s Brain Using Data From His Mri
Image source: st314
#11 I Make 3D Art By Cutting Playing Cards With An Xacto Knife
Image source: DoctorPaulGregory
#12 My Dad Is Moving Into A New Condo And 3D Printed The Floorplan And Scale Models Of His Stuff
Image source: mangogaga
Nowadays, ordinary people and even school children, have access to 3D printers. But in the early days, the machines cost a fortune, and were pretty much reserved for automotive and aerospace engineers who needed rapid prototyping.
Today’s 3D printing hobbyists have Dr. Adrian Bowyer to thank. In In 2005, he launched the RepRap (Replicating Rapid Prototyper) project at the University of Bath. Bowyer was on a mission to create an open-source 3D printer that could print most of its own components, making everything much more accessible to the general public.
#13 I Used My 3D Printer To Violate The Laws Of Physics Today
Image source: [deleted]
#14 Injured Turtle Who Lost Its Shell In Fire Receives World’s First 3D Printed Shell
Image source: monomotive
#15 Blind Student Feels 3D Printed School Yearbook For The First Time
Image source: YourLocalDuskFox
“The true catalyst for the desktop 3D printing boom occurred in 2009 when the original FDM patents filed by Stratasys expired,” reveals the site. “Suddenly, startups and open-source communities could legally build, innovate, and sell affordable FDM 3D printers. The technology moved out of the corporate warehouse and into the garage.”
And now we see people’s amazing creations all over the internet, and in listicles like this one.
#16 3D Print Pendulum Wall Clock
Image source: Niyoki007
#17 My Students Are Carrying Around 3D Printed “Dwayne The Crock Johnsons”
Image source: antmman
#18 Was Born Without An Arm So I Built Myself My Own Eletronic 3D Printed Arm. This Is Me Holding An Egg
Image source: aqualocko
The first object ever 3D printed back in the 80s was a small, solid plastic eye wash cup. It was Chuck Hull’s test piece while he was developing his UV resin hardening system. And like the technology, 3D printed creations have come an incredibly long way.
In a few short years, 3D printing has changed face of medicine in more ways than one. And helped to save lives…
#19 Toucan With A Reconstructed Beak Done Throughout 3D Printing
Image source: [deleted]
#20 I 3D Printed And Hand Painted This Mask
Image source: Kdthai
#21 My Son Just Finished His Rms Titanic 3D Model/Puzzle, And He’s Very Proud. It Looks Amazing!
Image source: Go_Squanch_Yourself
In 2011, baby Kaiba Gionfriddo was born prematurely in America, and suffered from tracheobronchomalacia. It’s a congenital condition that causes the windpipe to collapse. Surgeons performed a tracheostomy and put the infant on a ventilator. But little Kaiba continued to stop breathing almost daily. This would cause his heart to stop.
Doctors were worried, and his family was devastated.
#22 I Am Obsessed With This Mask My Coworker 3D Printed For Me
Image source: someonerezcody
#23 When Your Kid Wants A Toy That Doesn’t Exist, But You Have A 3D Printer And Some Paint
Image source: CorrectBread33
#24 This 3D-Printed Cast Uses Ultrasound To Heal Broken Bones 40% Faster
Image source: etymologynerd
Enter 3D printing…
“His caregivers 3D printed a bioresorbable device that instantly helped Kaiba breathe,” reports the Medical Futurist. “After the operation, Kaiba’s trachea gradually reconstructed itself. His body reabsorbed the inserted splint. A year later, the tube was also removed without causing any harm.”
Blood vessels, bones, prosthetic limbs, heart valves, ears, noses, synthetic organs, and even skin, are just a few of the incredible creations popping out of 3D printers in this day and age.
#25 3D Printing Some Iron Man Armor. It’s Been My Dream For Years
Image source: njtricker609
#26 Fake 3D Printed Switch Game Returned. It’s Not Just Stealing. It Is Ruining Christmas For Kids
Image source: iggyfenton
#27 3D-Scanned And Printed Exo Prosthetic Leg Made From Titanium, Designed By William Root
Image source: I_WILL_BOLD_COMMENTS
#28 I Modeled And 3D Printed My Grandma’s House As A Christmas Ornament. Hope She Likes
Image source: [deleted]
#29 My 3D Lab Has Started Making Masks For The Local Hospital. Here’s 115 Masks
Image source: le_box_o_treats
#30 A Year Ago I’d Never Used Cad Or Seen A 3D Printer. Made This From Scratch, Proud!
Image source: Timhell
#31 My Dad 3D Printed An At-At (18 In Height) And Took Advantage Of Snow In The Backyard
Image source: [deleted]
#32 A 3D Printed Optimus Prime I Got As A Gift [oc]
Image source: trymypi
#33 [oc] 3D Printed LEGO Minifigure And Yellow Flower At Engineering Education And Research Center (Eer)
Image source: DereChen
#34 My 3D Printed Sauron, Lord Of The Rings
Image source: saigonk
#35 When An Idea In Your Head Turns Into This. Love 3D Printing
Image source: Timhell
#36 Starting To Get The Hang Of This 3D Printing
Image source: babyn3wch
#37 The Kids And I Decided To 3D Print Our Christmas Lawn Decorations This Year
Image source: babyn3wch
#38 Some Bed Sheets And 3D Printed Crowns
Image source: bradleynovember
#39 [oc] 3D-Printed Some Of Our Game’s Characters
Image source: Xhanim
#40 I Did This 3D Fan-Made Model For The Jp Gate! It Is Not An Exact Replica But I Am Really Proud Of It
Image source: Timhell
#41 3D Printed Dilophosaurus Skull
Image source: lennyflank
#42 Made A 3D Printed Oversized LEGO Pirate Treasure Map Brick – Banana For Scale
Image source: lowlandet
#43 3D-Printed Statue Of The Egyptian Goddess Isis
Image source: lennyflank
#44 Some 3D-Printed Board Games
Image source: lennyflank
#45 3D Printed Apollo Guidance Computer
Image source: Apina2001
#46 She’s My 3D Print Quality Control Officer
Image source: [deleted]
#47 My Boyfriend Had Our House 3D Printed For My Christmas Village
Image source: [deleted]
#48 I Designed And 3D Printed A Marble Run On My Fridge
Image source: Deep_Make
#49 Something I Designed And 3D Printed, I Hope You Like It 😄
Image source: Kahlico
#50 I Designed And 3D Printed These Dice Holders For My Closest Friends Who Are Also In My Wedding
Image source: Rhino887
#51 My Student 3D Printed This Behold The Rocktopus
Image source: stelladiver512
#52 I 3D Printed Legos
Image source: Dronefuckery
#53 My Brother 3D Printed Me This Awesome Mask…he’s The Best!(Oc)
Image source: ravenmore24
#54 [oc] I 3D Printed A Little Ghost Holding A Pumpkin, Happy Fall Yall
Image source: Wooden_Squirrel_9328
#55 [oc] 3D Printed And Painted Using My Scanned Head. Arc Reactor Lights Up. I’m Nik, So… Nikron Man
Image source: npansare
#56 3D Printed Mammoth Tank From Command And Conquer
Image source: Bob_Juan_Santos
#57 3D Printed And Painted Mini Grinch!
Image source: Henrik93
#58 I Hope You Like This Adorable French Bulldog Planter I 3D Modeled And 3D Printed 😊
Image source: Kahlico
#59 Catch Them All! I Mean… 3D Print Them All 🤣
Image source: Kahlico
#60 I 3D Printed/Painted Some Oogie Boogie Dice(Oc)
Image source: TootyMcfruityPoots
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