![]() Many materials exist that can either be extruded or controlled to create 3D objects (thermoplastics, photopolymers, metals such as titanium and alloys, polyesters and organic cells). ![]() In addition to more traditional means of rapid prototyping, recently published reviews describe the use of bioprinting to produce bones, ears, vascular networks, tissues, organs and drug delivery devices. The latter may usher in a new era of medical devices, as SLM technology is capable of creating one-off parts durable enough for automobile application. Powder-based or selective laser sintering patents expired in 2004 and the most recent patent that expired was in December 2016 making metal-based selective laser melting (SLM) widely available to researchers, hobbyists and entrepreneurs ( Figure 3). Additional changes in intellectual property continue to disrupt this field. 1 Within the year, there was a 30% increase in the number of scholarly articles applying 3D printing from the year before ( Figure 2). ![]() Subsequently, printers fell from $10,000 per unit down to $1000 almost immediately. Patents protecting fused deposition modelling expired in 2009 and ushered in major desktop printer companies like MakerBot® (New York, NY) ( Figure 1). This demand has increased alongside improving imaging modalities, and more importantly a dramatic decrease in cost associated with rapid prototyping owing to patent expiration. This is likely owing to the constant demand for practitioners of many specialties to mentally convert 2D images into 3D objects. The last 20 years has seen an exponential increase of interest in 3D printing as it pertains to the medical industry and more specifically surgery.
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