What's a 3D printer?

Layer by layer, the printer melts the printing material together. This results in a tangible 3D object. The options with a 3D printer are endless. With a 3D printer, you can make three-dimensional objects based on a digital blueprint. The 3D printers are available for professionals, for example for medical purposes, and hobbyists. Make your own designs with the included software or download designs that you can print using the 3D printer right away. You can get a 3D printer in 2 versions, one that's ready-to-use, or one that you need to assemble yourself.

The material and the print resolution determine what you make with the 3D printer. Which material you use depends on the printer model. There are resin printers and filament printers. With a filament 3D printer, the printhead melts the filament layers together one by one. The higher the print resolution and the thinner the printing material, the more detailed the objects are. Resin 3D printers use a liquid mixture made of ground stone and resin. You can make more accurate designs with this than with a filament printer.

You can connect most 3D printers to a PC or laptop with a USB cable. This connection is required, because it allows you to use software to make designs and to send them to the printer. Or, you can transer your designs via an SD card. You can even connect some 3D printers via WiFi, so you're also able to use your smartphone and tablet. With an online connection, you can have multiple people use the printer and share the designs easily.

Like normal printers, 3D printers have their own printing system. It differs per brand how you print and with what kind of material. Some filament printers use just one type of material to keep the printing quality consistent. Other 3D printers use universal rolls so that you're not limited to one brand. You can often use different brands for resin 3D printers. The quality of both resin and filament differs per brand.