--- title: How 3-D Printers Work | TIME description: You’ve probably heard more and more about them in the last few years. Many wonder if a new generation of manufacturing, revenue and innovation is simply waiting for the most creative minds to take advantage of 3-D printers. canonical: https://time.com/video/0G9EGgV2/ og:title: How 3-D Printers Work og:description: You’ve probably heard more and more about them in the last few years. Many wonder if a new generation of manufacturing, revenue and innovation is simply waiting for the most creative minds to take advantage of 3-D printers. og:url: https://time.com/video/0G9EGgV2/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/0G9EGgV2/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How 3-D Printers Work twitter:description: You’ve probably heard more and more about them in the last few years. Many wonder if a new generation of manufacturing, revenue and innovation is simply waiting for the most creative minds to take advantage of 3-D printers. twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/0G9EGgV2/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # How 3-D Printers Work > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Subscription: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME is a general-interest news organization founded in 1923, reporting on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world. A TIME subscription provides full access to that journalism in print and digital, from $20 a year, and can be cancelled at any time. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: How 3-D Printers Work [Watch (HLS stream): How 3-D Printers Work](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/0G9EGgV2.m3u8) (2:02)  _Published 2014-05-08. You’ve probably heard more and more about them in the last few years. Many wonder if a new generation of manufacturing, revenue and innovation is simply waiting for the most creative minds to take advantage of 3-D printers._ --- Jul 27, 2023 4:37 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [The Store Policy You Probably Haven't Heard Of](/video/t5vkknXJ/) ### The Store Policy You Probably Haven't Heard Of ['More Probable Than Not' That Patriots Deflated Footballs](/video/skrmjWUl/) ### 'More Probable Than Not' That Patriots Deflated Footballs [Historic Coney Island Recreated with a 3-D Printer](/video/qenZrtBw/) ### Historic Coney Island Recreated with a 3-D Printer --- ## Transcript You've probably heard more and more about them in the last few years. Whether in pop culture. I, I need the printer. It's my printer, Christina. No it's not, it's the hospital's printer. Or in the news for what they can make. 3D printers aren't exactly new tech, but widely available only recently. Many wonder if a new generation of manufacturing, revenue, and innovation is simply waiting for the most creative minds to take advantage. Here's how the most common 3D printers work. First, you need a design for the printer to use. You can design one yourself. Or sites like Shapeways and Thingiverse have designs for sale or download. The printer does the rest. Building each object layer by layer, typically only about a 10th of a millimeter thick. A heated extruder melts and puts down whatever material you've chosen to print with, usually plastic, though various 3D printers can handle rubber, paper, metal and more. 3D printing's versatility, is what many believe makes it so revolutionary. It's basically a reverse on traditional subtractive manufacturing, where larger materials are cut down to a desired shape. With scraps potentially discarded. 3D printing fans argue additive manufacturing not only creates objects of incredible precise detail, you also don't waste material. The inventor of 3D printing, Chuck Whole, told CNN in February. He sees his 1983 creation, being a 4. 5 billion industry by the end of this decade, and it's not hard to see why, when you look at what people are already creating. Here at the trade fair in Frankfurt, there were multiple printers on display and just as many applications, medical implants. Musical instruments, the blades of an airplane engine, all 3D printed. And now that you know how they work, perhaps it's your turn. We apologize if we got your mind racing, or your mouth watering at the possibilities, but yes, they can already print chocolate. Thanks for watching. I'm Cliff Judy. ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"How 3-D Printers Work","description":"You’ve probably heard more and more about them in the last few years. 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