Emerging Tech Report - 3D printing

The creative industry is an ever changing environment with new technologies and advancements appearing with each year. These new emerging technologies bring with them a plethora of benefits to both the consumer and developer alike. More efficient methods of delivering products and meeting the demands of the consumer bring growing profits to companies and ultimately allow them to work on creating new ways to present and market their goods and services. Along with this, developments in the field of 3D printing allow  the general public to create and explore with methods that were previously only accessible to large companies and businesses (Turner 2022).

3D Printing: print three-dimensional objects at home (Bedford, 2013)

One of the most widely used forms of emerging tech is 3D Printing, also known as “Additive Technology” (Protolabs Network, 2025). It is the process of converting Digital .STL files to physical objects by utilizing plastic filaments passed through printing machines (Univeristy of York, 2025). These machines melt down the plastic and layer it in stages according to the instructions sent by the PC to construct a final form, this is where the name “Additive technology” comes from. These printing machines can vary in size depending on usage, ranging from small desktop printers ideal for home use or small prototyping projects, to large printing setups suitable for mass production and manufacturing lines.

Initially, Additive Technology was produced to increase the efficiency and speed of manufacturing companies, reducing their losses over time. By using in-house printers to produce parts, it cut down the time these companies needed to wait to receive parts, whilst also allowing them to create their own custom parts that might not be on offer in the current market. This customisable aspect in particular led onto breakthroughs in customisable physical assets and self replicating parts in an affordable and efficient manner. (Shahrubudin N. 2019) (Ultimaker 2025). Now adopted by many companies both in and outside of the creative industry, 3D Printing has become a staple in manufacturing and prototyping services.

Types of 3D Printing Technology (Protolabs, 2023)

In Specific, we can look into several applications of 3D printing across many fields. Beginning its life in the Aerospace sector to create inspection tools, many Automotive and Robotics development industries have adopted the use of Additive technology to increase manufacturing efficiency and improve accuracy with custom made tools. This not only increased their manufacturing speed, but also reduced the amount of waste produced by these companies due to manufacturing errors. In turn, the ability to create parts in-house and removing the need for outsourcing materials, reduces the company’s carbon footprint. (Markforged 2025). Within the medical sector, 3D printing has found several uses in the production of custom prosthetics, dental implants, and even surgical instruments. Some scientists are researching the application of Additive technology in 3D printed tissue replacements, with the potential for 3D printed organ transplants not far over the horizon. On the topic of custom prosthesis, we can also look at the application of 3D printed prosthesis for animal patients, expanding the reach of this technology to conservation efforts. We can also look at applications within the entertainment industry, some film companies utilizing 3D printing within practical effects. (Formlabs 2025). Another emerging use for 3D printing may find its way into the field of construction, with 3D printed houses being tested in several areas. (Murray, 2023).

Interview with Jade Myers: Designing 3D Printed Prosthetics (Chen, 2024)

Turning focus to the Creative sector, there are many ways creatives are utilizing this technology to create and display their work. Arguably the biggest application for 3D printing services lies within the tabletop games industry, with model making and dioramas being a huge industry in and of itself (Tan 2022). Several companies are now offering services to print custom assets for tabletop games, companies such as The artificer’s forge and Heroforge allowing users to choose from libraries of assets to print at home or buy online. Especially in the case of Heroforge, this increased form of customization is a huge draw to customers who want custom models of their characters, a service that before the invention of 3D printing would be either impossible, or incredibly pricey to obtain (Tan, 2022). This also links to the opportunities for the public to create original tabletop games with minimal funding, opening the doors to new indie companies to create their products (Lalwani, 2022). Other sectors like the fashion industry have also adopted the use of 3D printing in both the design and manufacturing stage, blending the lines between traditional fashion techniques and Additive technology. (Murray 2023)

Mythbusting: Can you Instagram your Heroforge models? (Girdwood, 2021)

As 3D printing continues to improve and applications of this technology spread across more and more industries, we can expect to see a lot of innovations to how we use Additive Technology. Already we are beginning to see breakthroughs in architectural applications, structures being constructed quickly with minimal resources. Such breakthroughs could bring huge improvements to emergency response after natural disasters and bringing aid to those in war torn areas (Future Now 2022). We are also seeing 3D printing being applied to art conservation operations, allowing us to display and study precious artifacts without risk of damaging the original copy. Within the past few years we are already seeing improvements of material examination within this sector, perhaps someday allowing us to have more in-depth understandings of these artifacts and allowing us to better care and preserve them for generations to come. (Tissen 2022). Finally, Efforts are being made to explore more sustainable materials such as plant-derived bio-filaments and recyclable plastics in hope to reduce the amount of plastic waste we as a society produce (CADD centre 2025).

3D Printed House (Tecla, 2025)

It is however, important to look at some of the arising ethical concerns of 3D printing. The benefit of this technology being available to anyone brings with it concerns of criminal usage. There are concerns of 3D printing being used for key counterfiting, weapon manufacture, and drug smuggling operations. (Peels 2023). Whilst this is a very extreme case, we should also look to the less considered concerns of the reduction of manufacturing demand in countries reliant on the demand for manufacturing parts. (Shahrubudin N., 2019)

Print and Shoot: How 3D Printed Guns are Spreading Online (Hardoon, 2025)

With all this in mind, 3D printing is undeniably an incredibly versatile and useful resource that can find its place in a variety of uses. With it being cheap and accessible to many audiences, we can expect to see many advancements in both industry and every day life should this technology continue to improve, whether that be in the sustainability and conservation sector, the medical industry, our everyday products, or even the games that we play.

Bibliography-

Websites:

CADD centre, 2025. Top 10 Innovations in 3D Printing Technology for 2025 [online]. CADD centre. Available at: https://caddcentre.com/blog/top-10-innovations-in-3d-printing-technology-for-2024/ [Acessed at 8 October 2025]

Formlabs, 2025. 25 (Unexpected) 3D Printing Use Cases. Formlabs. Available at: https://formlabs.com/uk/blog/25-unexpected-3d-printing-use-cases/?srsltid=AfmBOorOT9GIzSKU2NobnBQIxWdXr4pDSyFTlCPmOX8zYbhczmPvwk6z [Acessed at 6 October 2025]

Heroforge, 2025. Heroforge [online]. Heroforge. Available at: https://www.heroforge.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooGomQ0ZzXjT-VjyCFEwM-SARs2cVE-LyDcasyUmce7bGRvPf_9 [Acessed at 6 October 2025]

Lalwani, C., 2021. The Impact of 3D Printing of the Gaming Industry [online]. Phrozen. Available at: https://phrozen3d.com/blogs/resin-3d-printing-latest-news/the-impact-of-3d-printing-on-the-gaming-industry [Acessed at 6 October 2025]

Markforged, 2025. 3D Printing and the Environmental Impact of Manufacturing [online]. Markforged. Available at: https://markforged.com/resources/blog/3d-printing-and-the-environmental-impact-of-manufacturing [Acessed at 6 October 2025]

Murray, C., 2023. Common Applications Of 3D Printing From Aerospace To Fashion [online]. Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2023/04/21/common-applications-of-3d-printing-from-aerospace-to-fashion/ [Acessed at 6 October 2025]

Peels, J., 2023. Ethical 3D Printing: 9 Ways 3D Printing Could Aid Criminals [online].3D Print.com. Available at: https://3dprint.com/298073/ethical-3d-printing-9-ways-3d-printing-can-be-used-for-crime/ [Acessed at 8 October 2025]

Protolabs Network, 2025. What is 3D printing [online]. Protolabs Network. Available at: https://www.hubs.com/guides/3d-printing/ [Acessed at 6 October 2025]

Tan, A., 2022. 3D Printing Is Disrupting the Miniature Industry [online]. Thomas. Available at: https://www.thomasnet.com/insights/3d-printing-is-disrupting-the-miniature-industry/ [Acessed at 6 October 2025]

The Artificers Forge, 2025. The Artificers Forge [online]. The Artificers Forge. Available at: https://theartificersforge.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorle2w4uwII-CYIseDsXS0_eugpbfcJMqpBRWTeRrO-uAftnylF [Acessed at 6 October 2025]

Turner, D., 2022. Advanced Technologies in the Creative Industries [online].craic. Available at: https://craic.lboro.ac.uk/essays/advanced-technologies-in-the-creative-industries/ [Acessed at 8 October 2025]

Ultimaker, 2025. 3D Printing in Manufacturing: Complete Guide to Industry 3D Printers & Applications [online]. Ultimaker. Available at: https://ultimaker.com/learn/3d-printing-in-manufacturing-complete-guide-to-industry-3d-printers-and-applications/ [Acessed at 6 October 2025]

Ultimaker, 2025.The complete history of 3D printing [online]. Ultimaker. Available at:https://ultimaker.com/learn/the-complete-history-of-3d-printing/ [Acessed at 6 October 2025]

University of York, 2025. 3D Printing [online]. University of York. Available at: https://subjectguides.york.ac.uk/digital-creativity/3d-printing [Acessed at 6 October 2025]

Online PDFs:

Shahrubudin, N., 2019. An Overview on 3D Printing Technology: Technological, Materials, and Applications [online]. Science Direct: Procedia Manufacturing. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351978919308169  [Acessed at 6 October 2025]

Youtube videos:

How 3D Printing is changing the world, Future of 3D Printing Applications, 3D Printing Revolution, 2022. [Youtube] Future Now. 11 February. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeI0OpaSoc0 [Acessed at 6 October 2025]

Books:

Tissen , N.M., 2023. 3D Printing and the Art World: Current Developments and Future Perspectives. Advances in 3D Printing. IntechOpen. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.109107. [Acessed at 8 October 2025]

Images:

Bedford, M., 2013. 3D printing: print three-dimensional objects at home [online]. Available via Tech Advisor. [Acessed at 8 October 2025] https://www.techadvisor.com/article/725871/3d-printing-print-three-dimensional-objects-at-home.html 

Chen, J., 2024. Interview with Jade Myers: Designing 3D Printed Prosthetics [online]. Available via 3D Heals. [Acessed at 8 October 2025] https://3dheals.com/interview-with-jade-myers-designing-3d-printed-prosthetics/ 

Girdwood, A., 2021. Mythbusting: Can you Instagram your Hero Forge models? [online]. Available via Geek Native.[Acessed at 8 October 2025] https://www.geeknative.com/131759/mythbusting-can-you-instagram-your-hero-forge-models/ 

Hardoon, D., 2025. Print and shoot: How 3D-printed guns are spreading online [online]. Available via BBC News.[Acessed at 8 October 2025] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg84rke4ejo 

Protolabs, 2023. Types of 3D Printing Technology [online]. Available via Protolabs. [Acessed at 8 October 2025] https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/resources/blog/types-of-3d-printing/ 

Tecla, 2025. 3D Printed House [online]. Available via Tecla. [Acessed at 8 October 2025] https://www.3dwasp.com/en/3d-printed-house-tecla/