Hi, I'm Daniel from Markforged,
today we're gonna answer one simple
question--what is 3d printing?
At it's most
basic, 3D printing is a fabrication
method used to additively manufacture
parts. The term 3D printing no longer
represents one specific technology,
instead it represents a variety of
processes united around one common
attribute--layer-based fabrication. In
contrast to traditional subtractive
methods like milling and turning in
which a machinist starts with a block of
material and strategically removes it to
form a part, 3D printers construct parts
by starting with unformed raw material
and building a part up layer by layer.
They start from nothing, and end with a
finished part with minimal wasted
material along the way. Though it's seen
as an up-and-coming technology, 3D
printing isn't actually that new. It was
originally introduced in the 1980s as a
method to quickly and cheaply produced
near net shape parts, otherwise known as
looks-like prototypes. It's risen to
global prominence in the last decade as
machines have become more affordable,
accessible, and reliable, and more
materials have become available
Now seen as one of the tenets of industry
4.0, it's considered a rising star in the
manufacturing space. These machines come in all shapes and sizes, and use a wide
variety of processes to fabricate parts. 
Fused filament fabrication (FFF), the
technology most commonly associated with 3D printing creates parts by melting and
extruding filament through a nozzle. The
vast majority of printers sold today are
still FFF machines. Curing machines,
on the other hand, use lasers or
projectors, to selectively cure resin
layer by layer into solid parts.
Laser sintering machines use lasers to fuse metal or plastic powder together while
binder-jetting machines adhere
similar powders with polymer binders
instead. These four technologies are the
most common in 3D printing but are by no
means alone. The first 3d printers could
only print with a few varieties of
plastic, however, nowadays hundreds of
plastics, metals, resins, and composites
are available. From high-grade plastics
like ultimate peak, to curable resins,
to continuous composites like carbon fiber, or even metals
like stainless steel and titanium,
today's engineers have a wide variety of
options when choosing what to print
their part out of. The expansion and
available materials has led to a shift
towards industrial applications. Many new
printers are purpose-built to produce
manufacturing grade parts. These
industrial machines represent the
highest class of 3D printers. Beneath
them, professional-grade machines offer
reliability and accuracy with less
robust materials, and hobbyist machines
provide a low-cost customizable option
for personal use and education. Though it
took more than 30 years to catch on 3D
printing is proving to be a
cost-effective and cutting-edge way to
produce a wide variety of parts. The
machines use a largely automated
workflow and can create complex
geometries for no extra cost
As manufacturing continues to modernize,
expect to see a lot more of 3D printing
So how does Markforged fit into this? 
At Markorged, we make industrial grade 3D printers
capable of printing plastics
composites, and metals. They're reliable
and easy to use, and can print parts
capable of replacing machine components
if you want more information on these
machines check out the link in the
description or visit markforged.com.
Have a great day and happy printing
