What Types of Items Can You Print with Your 3D Printer?

Debarup Mukherjee | November 16, 2018 | 3D Printing | No Comments

The Age of 3D Printing is upon us, and we are starting to hear more about 3D printers every day from the news, social media, blogs, and other sources. But most people still haven’t seen a 3D printer or a 3D printed item in person yet, and if they have those items are often novelties and useless trinkets. If this is you, you may be wondering whether 3D printing is even useful. Well rest assured that it is! Whether you already have a 3D printer, are looking at getting a 3D printer, or are just curious about the technology, there are all sorts of useful items that you can print! Here we will be exploring some of the various categories of items that 3D printing can create. While many people may think of 3D printers as expensive devices for use by engineering firms, consumer grade 3D printing is becoming more common every day. 3D Printing is opening all sorts of new, exciting possibilities every day.

Replacement Parts Can Be 3D Printed

This is probably one of the most obvious applications of 3D printing. Rather than having to go to the store or ordering a part online, if something breaks you can simply print a new one in your own home! While this does have some limitations, it works great for replacing hinges, brackets, door handles, and any number of other simple parts one might have a need for. In my own home I have 3D printed hinges and latches for garage cabinet doors, replacement parts for toys, and missing board game pieces. 3D printers are also great if you are restoring a car that has rare plastic parts that are difficult to find. You can just print them yourself at home! If you consider yourself a handyman or find yourself frequently repairing things, a 3D printer can be an indispensable tool to have. In addition to making it easier to get the parts you need, printing a part is often far cheaper than purchasing one.

You Can 3D Print Kitchen Accessories

Kitchen Accessories is another area where 3D printing is really shining, with all sorts of new designs showing up on a regular basis, many of which you can download for free. There are 3D printable pot lid holders, tool holders, measuring cups, chip clips, funnels, paper towel holders, and the list goes on. Many of these designs can be found free to download on sites like Thingiverse and Cults. There are many 3D printing plastics that are considered food safe if they aren’t heated, and there is a lot of room for experimentation here. One of my favorite designs in this area is the Ultra-Low Profile Tablet Holder on Thingiverse. It allows you to hang your tablet securely underneath your kitchen cabinets, which keeps it above the counter and safely out of harm’s way while you are cooking.

You Can Print Home Décor

This is probably one of the more entertaining categories of 3D printed products that is becoming more common. Many 3D printer owners are accessorizing their living space with custom designs, ranging from the practical to the zany. On the practical-but-still-artsy side you have cool desktop organizers, headphone hangers, wall art, closet organizers, and clocks. On the zany side there are shower heads that look like T-Rex’s, lamps that look like mushroom clouds, and 3D printed Jackalope statues. Home décor is a fun category because it’s very artistic, things don’t have to be as functional or practical as in the other categories. Have fun with this one! Go wild and print the weirdest/most fun things you can think of, and use them to accessorize your space. Make it your own!

Toys are 3D Printable

This is another fun category! 3D printed toys aren’t the best for super young kids as they can have small parts, but if your kids are old enough to play unsupervised this category can be a lot of fun. One of the most classic toys, the bathtub rubber duck, has already been reimagined for 3D printing by several 3D artists. Or you could go a little farther and 3D print a whole floating battleship armada and have an all-out splash war in the swimming pool. That’s the fun of 3D printing! 3D prints are also sturdy enough to make more complex toys, such as poseable action figures, foam dart guns, and dolls. 3D printing can be a lot of fun for both kids and parents, and can help you save a little money on action figures as well as be an educational project for the kids. This is a great place to get the kids involved in designing their own toys! Building your own toy can be a very fun, informative, and rewarding experience for the kids.

You Can Make Custom Tools/Jigs

This is another category that the handy man or woman will enjoy. 3D printing allows you to create tools and jigs that specifically fit the job at hand. You can print your own wrenches, sockets, hammers, and many other tools. They can also be used to create jigs and fixtures for woodworking, metalworking, and crafting. I find this to be the most useful when you need something custom, like a circle cutting jig or a fixture for gluing together joints at an odd angle. While these will probably only be common occurrences for serious craftsmen, engineers, and artists, if you are someone who occasionally has need of jigs, fixtures, or custom tools a 3D printer can be indispensable. They can help you create your projects easier and cheaper, and with less waste than building custom tooling the traditional way.

These are 5 categories of 3D printed items that are useful and will have a place in the society of the future. Whether you are a crafter, an artist, a handyman, or in any other profession or hobby, a 3D printer is a valuable tool that can help you bring your projects to life. If you found this article interesting, I would encourage you to check out some of the 3D models offered for free on Thingiverse. I also hope that if you were on the fence about 3D printing that I have inspired you to get involved! There is a whole world of useful inventions waiting to be discovered. Happy 3D Printing!

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Debarup Mukherjee

Hi friends, This is Debarup Mukherjee, a Digital Marketing Specialist, SEO Consultant & Blogger. I have over 12 years experience in Digital Marketing. I love to write on technology and SEO. I have built many blogs, one of them is Techno World News, specially for Technology & Internet. Hope everyone like and enjoy this blog and get valuable information which you can share with your friends. You can ask me anything on my Twitter, Facebook or Google+ Account

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