3D Printing

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All printer guides

Brands and compare

  • Bambu Lab lineup compared
  • Compare printers
  • Full color 3D printers
  • Large scale and industrial

Reviews

  • Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra
  • FLSun T1 Pro
  • QIDI Tech Q1 Pro
All reviews
Best 3D Printers 2026: Buyer’s Guide

Start with the top picks

Best 3D Printers 2026: Buyer’s Guide

Twenty printers tested and ranked, from $169 to the H2D.

See the picks

Filament

  • Best PETG filament
  • Best PLA filament
  • Best TPU filament
  • Best ABS and ASA filament
  • Engineering filaments
  • Composite filaments
  • Flexible filaments
  • Bio filaments
All filament guides

Resin

  • For miniatures
  • Tough and ABS-like
  • Castable resin
  • Water-washable
  • Flexible resin
All resin guides

Accessories

  • Filament dryers
  • Printer enclosures
  • Wash and cure stations
Best Filament Dryers (2026 Guide)

Most-clicked accessory

Best Filament Dryers (2026 Guide)

Wet filament causes most failed prints; the fix costs less than a spool.

Compare dryers

Buyer guides

  • Small objects
  • Medium objects
  • Large objects
  • Professional scanners
  • Scan with your phone
All scanner guides

Software and service

  • 3D scanner software
  • Scanning service vs buying

Reviews

  • Revopoint MetroY Pro
  • Revopoint Inspire 2
  • Revopoint Trackit
All scanner reviews
3D Scanners 2026: The Complete Buying Guide

Find the right scanner

3D Scanners 2026: The Complete Buying Guide

Nineteen scanners from $400 to $40,000, sorted by object size.

Open the guide

Design and AI

  • AI 3D model generators
  • 3D modeling and CAD software

Print prep and control

  • Slicers
  • STL repair tools
  • Printer host and remote control

Reviews

All software reviews
Best AI 3D Model Generators for 3D Printing (2026)

Fastest-growing guide

Best AI 3D Model Generators for 3D Printing (2026)

Type a prompt, get a printable model: the tools we tested, free tiers first.

Try the tools

Start here

  • What is 3D printing?
  • How much does it cost?
  • FDM vs resin
  • Best printers for beginners

How it works

  • What is a 3D printer?
  • How does 3D printing work?
  • Types of 3D printing
  • Metal 3D printing

How-tos and glossary

  • 3D printing glossary
  • Food-safe 3D printing
  • Setting up a school program
  • Free 3D printable models
What is 3D Printing?

Start here

What is 3D Printing?

The one-page explainer, then how much it costs and which technology to buy.

Start reading
Deals

Latest

  • Prague Firefighters 3D Print Their Own Gear on a Prusa CORE One L
  • Aurora Labs Raises A$6 Million to Scale Up 3D Printed Turbojet Production
  • Transgulf Readymix Invests in UAE Construction 3D Printing Firm AC3D
  • Navy Engineers Design 3D Printable Safety Clip for Bomb Disposal Teams
  • GKN Aerospace Earns First Nadcap Accreditation for Laser Wire DED
All news

Use cases

  • Prague Firefighters 3D Print Their Own Gear on a Prusa CORE One L
  • OECHSLER Scales Carbon Lattice Production to 40 Printers Running Around the Clock
  • Reverse Engineering Without CAD Data: How the MetroY Ultra Turns Physical Parts into Digital Designs
  • Michigan State Engineers 3D Printed Helmet Inserts to Help Quarterbacks Tackle Crowd Noise
  • 3D Printed Quiet Pickleball Unveiled
All use cases

Industry

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Medical
  • Dental
  • Construction
  • Rapid prototyping
  • Electronics
  • Food
  • Fashion
  • Bioprinting
Prague Firefighters 3D Print Their Own Gear on a Prusa CORE One L

Latest

Prague Firefighters 3D Print Their Own Gear on a Prusa CORE One L

Prague's central fire station prints its own mounts, door wedges and spare parts on a Prusa CORE One…

Read more
Contact
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Buyer guides

  • Best 3D printers
  • For beginners
  • Multicolor
  • Resin printers
  • Budget (under $400)
  • For kids and schools
  • For miniatures
  • Large format
All printer guides

Brands and compare

  • Bambu Lab lineup compared
  • Compare printers
  • Full color 3D printers
  • Large scale and industrial

Reviews

  • Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra
  • FLSun T1 Pro
  • QIDI Tech Q1 Pro
All reviews

Filament

  • Best PETG filament
  • Best PLA filament
  • Best TPU filament
  • Best ABS and ASA filament
  • Engineering filaments
  • Composite filaments
  • Flexible filaments
  • Bio filaments
All filament guides

Resin

  • For miniatures
  • Tough and ABS-like
  • Castable resin
  • Water-washable
  • Flexible resin
All resin guides

Accessories

  • Filament dryers
  • Printer enclosures
  • Wash and cure stations

Buyer guides

  • Small objects
  • Medium objects
  • Large objects
  • Professional scanners
  • Scan with your phone
All scanner guides

Software and service

  • 3D scanner software
  • Scanning service vs buying

Reviews

  • Revopoint MetroY Pro
  • Revopoint Inspire 2
  • Revopoint Trackit
All scanner reviews

Design and AI

  • AI 3D model generators
  • 3D modeling and CAD software

Print prep and control

  • Slicers
  • STL repair tools
  • Printer host and remote control

Reviews

All software reviews

Start here

  • What is 3D printing?
  • How much does it cost?
  • FDM vs resin
  • Best printers for beginners

How it works

  • What is a 3D printer?
  • How does 3D printing work?
  • Types of 3D printing
  • Metal 3D printing

How-tos and glossary

  • 3D printing glossary
  • Food-safe 3D printing
  • Setting up a school program
  • Free 3D printable models
Deals

Latest

  • Prague Firefighters 3D Print Their Own Gear on a Prusa CORE One L
  • Aurora Labs Raises A$6 Million to Scale Up 3D Printed Turbojet Production
  • Transgulf Readymix Invests in UAE Construction 3D Printing Firm AC3D
  • Navy Engineers Design 3D Printable Safety Clip for Bomb Disposal Teams
  • GKN Aerospace Earns First Nadcap Accreditation for Laser Wire DED
All news

Use cases

  • Prague Firefighters 3D Print Their Own Gear on a Prusa CORE One L
  • OECHSLER Scales Carbon Lattice Production to 40 Printers Running Around the Clock
  • Reverse Engineering Without CAD Data: How the MetroY Ultra Turns Physical Parts into Digital Designs
  • Michigan State Engineers 3D Printed Helmet Inserts to Help Quarterbacks Tackle Crowd Noise
  • 3D Printed Quiet Pickleball Unveiled
All use cases

Industry

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Medical
  • Dental
  • Construction
  • Rapid prototyping
  • Electronics
  • Food
  • Fashion
  • Bioprinting
Contact
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  • Nederland 3D Printing
Home / Use Cases

3D Printing Use Cases & Applications

Read all about 3D printing use cases and 3D printing case studies. Stories from and interviews with companies that use 3D printing in their daily routine.

3D Printing A To-Scale Triceratops

A (partly) 3D printed Triceratops dinosaur skeleton named Dirk is now on display at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in the Netherlands. Dirk required... read more »

News
3D Printing

Examples of Functional 3D Prints

This is an overview of functional 3D prints you can print at home with a desktop 3D printer. From small things that improve... read more »

3D Print
functional 3d prints

3 Ways 3D Printing is Revolutionizing Digital Dentistry

3D printing has had a huge impact on digital dentistry. From increased efficiency and cost savings, to faster production speeds and improved quality,... read more »

Use Cases
3d printing digital dentistry featured image

3D Printed Toilet Seat Cover Cuts Costs For US Air Force

The US Air Force's first certified 3D printed part might somewhat surprise you. Faced with an aging aircraft fleet, the USAF is turning... read more »

News
3d printed toilet seat cover ultem fdm usaf

The Influence Of 3D Printing On The Gaming Industry

From board games and tabletops to their high-tech electronic counterparts in consoles and PCs, games are a wide and varied genre of entertainment.... read more »

Use Cases
3d printed miniatures gaming industry

How 3D Printed Sports Equipment Is Changing the Game

The sports equipment manufacturing industry and its ancillary arms is annually worth around $300 billion worldwide. Additive manufacturing sporting goods has distinct advantages... read more »

Use Cases
riddell carbon nfl helmet

3D Printed Car Parts Bring Back the Classics

Additive Manufacturing & Car Restoration 3D printing is widely applied in the automotive manufacturing sector by international powerhouses like Ford, Audi and many... read more »

Automotive
3D Printing

Why Earphone Brands Use EnvisionTEC Printers For Mass Production

When it comes to audio devices, headphones appear to be the number 1 choice nowadays. 87% of people say that they use headphones/earphones... read more »

News
3d printed earphones before post processing

Luxexcel & IFB Solutions Print Custom Ophthalmic Lenses

3D printed ophthalmic lens manufacturer Luxexcel and IFB solutions have been working together for a while now, 3D printing custom lenses matching the... read more »

News
Luxexcel_ophthalmic_3D

Jaipur Watch Company Launch India’s First 3D Printed Watch

The Jaipur Watch Company has recently launched India's first line of 3D printed watches. The prestigious company is India's only bespoke watch producer... read more »

News
featured image 3d printed watches

SmileDirectClub Uses HP Multi Jet Fusion 3D Printers to Make 50,000 Mouth Molds a Day

A collaboration between SmileDirectClub and HP will bring straighter smiles to millions of customers as the former becomes the largest Multi Jet Fusion... read more »

News
HP-smiledirectclub-3d-printing

Consolidating Metal Assemblies with 3D Printing

Neenah Foundry worked with Hoosier Pattern Inc to convert an 11-piece, laser cut welded swing frame assembly into a single-piece design using an... read more »

Use Cases

Case Study: 3D Printer Using Fused Granular Fabrication – Cheap & Economic Efficiency

A study out of Michigan Technological University analyzed the economic efficiency of 3D printing various sporting goods using a 3D printer with a... read more »

News

Large Scale Use Case: Alliant Castings

A Winona, Minnesota-based foundry called Alliant Castings is using a Cosine Additive AM1 large scale 3D printer to do pattern making for their... read more »

Use Cases
large scale 3d printing use case cosine additive

An Overview of 3D Printing Energy Systems

Energy production systems are highly complex and varied, full of critical components that can handle extreme conditions. In other words, a perfect use... read more »

Use Cases
3D Printing

Deutsche Bahn is maintaining trains with 3D printing

Deutsche Bahn, a Berlin-based railway company, has integrated 3D printing into its maintenance network to produce hard-to-find parts for older trains as well... read more »

News
mobility goes additive

Candoable 3D Prints Braille Labels For Everyday Containers

While new technologies have made the lives of visually impaired persons far better, there's still a long way to go. Even though all... read more »

News
candoable 3d printed labels

ShapeCrunch Prints Enhanced Insoles For Running Shoes

While brands like Adidas and Ecco have already set their sights on the 3D printed footwear market, there are still others finding exciting... read more »

News
ShapeCrunch Prints Enhanced Insoles For Running Shoes

KAIST Develop 3D Printed Batteries For Wearable Electronics

One of the technologies that researchers are scrambling to develop these days is wearable electronics. From MIT to Harvard, there have been many... read more »

News
3D Printing

Forensic Artist Uses 3D Printer to Reconstruct Remains

Samantha Molnar works with authorities in Ohio by reconstructing unidentifiable remains that often belong to missing persons or victims of violent crime. As... read more »

News
Forensic Artist Uses 3D Printer to Reconstruct Remains

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Bambu Lab P2S

~$549
  • A next-generation enclosed CoreXY with DynaSense servo extruder, AMS 2 Pro with active…
Bambu Lab P2S
Buy Now bambulab.com

Elegoo Centauri 2 Combo

~$329
  • A CoreXY open-frame printer with Elegoo's CANVAS four-spool system included, offering 4…
Elegoo Centauri 2 Combo
Buy Now elegoo.com

Formlabs Form Studio 1

~$699
  • Formlabs' first printer under $1,000 bringing the Form 4's Low Force Display engine to…
Formlabs Form Studio 1
Buy Now formlabs.com

Creality Sermoon D3 Pro

$2,799
  • This page keeps the Sermoon D1 address and covers the Sermoon D3 Pro, the current Sermo…
Creality Sermoon D3 Pro
Buy Now store.creality.com

Bambu Lab A2L

~$469 (combo with AMS lite ~$569)
  • An open-frame bedslinger with a 300 × 320 × 325 mm build volume at $469, taking AMS l…
Bambu Lab A2L
Buy Now bambulab.com

Bambu Lab PETG-CF

  • Ships with pre-configured slicer profiles for all Bambu printers and RFID for automatic…
Bambu Lab PETG-CF
Buy Now bambulab.com

Bambu Lab H2S

~$1,249
  • Removes the dual-nozzle system from the H-series while keeping the 65°C heated chamber…
Bambu Lab H2S
Buy Now bambulab.com

Creality Ender-5 Max

$749
  • This page keeps the CR-10 Smart Pro address.
Creality Ender-5 Max
Buy Now store.creality.com
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3D PRINTING.COM

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