The Most Innovative Things Ever 3D Printed

Much more than just a hobby, additive manufacturing is being put to life-changing use, not only in tech but in the medical and food and beverage industries too. From 3D-printed steaks to coral reefs for preservation, 3D printing is taking over the world, and the market is set to reach a massive $50 billion by 2030. There’s no end to the weird and wonderful things that can be done with this amazing technology.

Innovative 3D-Printed Creations

Below are five of the coolest and craziest things to ever be 3D printed.

1. Mouse Ovaries

Made from 3D-printed layers of gelatin, three out of seven infertile mice who received 3D-printed ovary implants at a trial at Northwestern University in Chicago, successfully got pregnant and gave birth. Just imagine what this could mean for humans.

2. Robot Skin

The robots are coming, and they need some skin. A stretchy, almost human-like skin that is able to feel with electronic sensors is being studied by researchers at the University of Minnesota. The skin will be made using a custom 3D printer and will undoubtedly revolutionize the world of bionics.

3. Real Skin

As if robot skin wasn’t impressive enough, researchers at the University of Toronto managed to apply a pig’s previously-harvested skin cells onto the pig’s open wound via a custom handheld 3D printer. The applied skin sealed the wound like Scotch tape. This method could replace skin grafts and greatly improve the way burn victims are treated.

4. Food

Several companies have tried 3D printing food like pizza, but the most innovative use was the short-lived gourmet pop-up restaurant in London by Food Ink. The first-ever 3D printed food establishment, its dishes using hummus, peas, dough, cheese, and chocolate were all 3D printed. But that’s not all — its furniture was too!

5. Model Fetus

When baby scans got an upgrade from the black and white shadowy 2D blobs to the 3D sepia-toned imagery available today, parents everywhere were thrilled. Now, expectant parents can actually hold their baby… while it’s still in the womb. Thanks to 3D printing, one Russian company uses ultrasounds to create 3D-printed models of the fetuses to check the baby’s health and development.

Xometry’s New Polyjet Printing Capabilities

For all your additive manufacturing needs, Xometry now offers PolyJet 3D printing. This impressive advanced industrial 3D printing technology works by jetting UV curable resin onto a build tray, and is known for its customizable properties and superior surface finish.

The technology enables customers to produce accurate and quick custom parts in as little as one business day, and can even print multiple materials and colors (over 600,000 available to choose from) at the same time.

PolyJet 3D printing can produce rigid and rubber-like options, transparent or translucent parts, in complex designs, such as the examples displayed in these images that look incredibly realistic and good enough to eat!

Additional processing and finishes are also available, such as the “Glossy” print option that can provide any upper-facing features with a glossy appearance. To get started, just upload your 3D files to get an instant quote.

Other related articles

• Top 3D Printing Services Companies in the USA
• Origins of 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing
• Top 3D Printing Manufacturers and Suppliers (Publicly Traded and Privately-Owned)
• Top Suppliers of Additive Manufacturing Consulting Services
• The Best 3D Printers under $300
• The Best 3D Printers under $200
• The Best 3D Printing Software
• The Best 3D Printer Under $1000
• The Best 3D Printer Under $500
• All About Material Jetting
• All About Multi-Jet Modeling (MJM) 3D Printing