3D printer – A broad term that refers to any machine that recreates a physical 3D model from a digital file. 3D printers are based on the concept of additive manufacturing and create the physical object layer by layer through various means. The most common 3D printing technologies are Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and Stereolithography (SLA).

3D printing or additive manufacturing is the construction of a three-dimensional object from a CAD model or a digital 3D model.

3D printing uses computer-aided design to create three-dimensional objects through a layering method. Sometimes referred to as additive manufacturing, 3D printing involves layering materials, like plastics, composites or bio-materials to create objects that range in shape, size, rigidity and color.