3D printing has been around and familiar to the public for a few years now, but it's fair to say that it hasn't yet reached the level of popularity that it will reach in the future. Right now, discussions about 3D printing tend to fall on either end of a broad spectrum: people are either exploring the most basic, small-scale versions of the technology that are currently available to consumers, or they are speculating about large-scale applications with wild implications, such as printing homes or even the idea of printing food, which has been covered previously on this site.

1. The medical field has already established itself as the dominant

Most popular discussions about 3D printing, for whatever reason, seem to leave out the field of medicine, which could end up being the single busiest area for 3D printing innovation and application in the long run. Surprisingly, this has also occurred with some other recent technological innovations, such as the Internet of Things and virtual reality. Whatever the case, you can expect to hear more about 3D printing in the medical field in the coming year. Verdict Medical Devices published a report in 2018 that identified four major applications that were revolutionizing the industry, highlighting printed organs, surgical preparation aides, surgical instruments, and custom prosthetics. These kinds of products are already in use in the medical field, and depending on your own medical needs or the medical needs of friends and family members, you may even come into contact with some of them in your own life.


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2. 3D printing production can be customized to meet specific requirements

Speaking of the broad range of 3D printing applications and potential, it's easy to fall into the trap of assuming that it can only be done on a personal level or on a large-scale industrial level. However, we have now reached a point where there are opportunities in the middle, which has significant implications for any number of individual companies seeking to produce products at a reasonable cost and with efficiency. Put another way, business owners who require physical parts and products can now order 3D-printed materials from third-party vendors.

3. There is a creative component to the project

Art can fly under the radar for those who aren't particularly interested in it, but in recent years, we've seen a number of new technologies make a significant impact in this space. And one of them will soon demonstrate that it has implications when used in conjunction with 3D printing as well. Several notable artists, according to the Robb Report, are embracing the medium of virtual reality, and are using it to create what is effectively a whole new type of visual art. A large portion of that art is currently focused on the design of 3D spaces that can be entered and explored in the same way that digital galleries are. Many have suggested, however, that the combination of virtual reality and more sophisticated 3D printing machines will result in a thriving new sculpting medium as well. Keep an eye out for sculptures that have been painted into 3D space using virtual reality and then printed out exactly the same way in real, physical material if art is something that interests you or if you simply want to see what else is possible with 3D printing.