Getting Started with 3D Printing (Make:)

Q&A with authors Liza Wallach Kloski and Nick Kloski

Why is having a basic understanding of 3D printing so important?

We feel that the general population should understand what 3D printing is because in the future this technology will affect our everyday lives. From medicine to education to art, 3D printing will help make physical the objects we need to have—objects that in the past were too expensive or simply impossible for the ordinary person to make. For readers who want to apply 3D printing to their lives now, it’s imperative that they understand the 3D printing ecosystem. Having a basic understanding of who and what make up the system will speed that learning curve. Our book also offers hand-on tutorials that make learning fun and easier.

What is your best prediction about 3D printing over the next five years?

In the next five years we see 3D printing really affecting how we express ourselves creatively. From mini-me 3D printed selfies to 3D printed concepts and prototypes, there will soon be better and more user friendly access to this technology for everyone. The ability to take an idea into a personalized physical form will attract both inventors and customers. 3D printed medicine and medical aids will likely be a reality in five years as well.

What is the strangest application you’ve yet encountered?

In 3D printing, nothing is strange—just newly discovered! If we had to describe something that is amazing and unbelievable, we would have to point to 3D-printed organs and functional tissue. The ability to grow your own replacement tissue is amazing and unheard of in the history of medicine.