PLASTIC POWER
UNTIL fairly recently, the concept of printing parts for your car out of thin air was pure science fiction. However, 3D printing is beginning to change the way cars are built, and, as the cost of the printers tumble and the software is made ever more user-friendly, this new technology is sure to become more popular.
Born out of the need for rapid prototyping, the type of 3D printing most commonly used today is known as fused deposition modelling. The concept is simple: You either 3D-scan or use computer modelling software to draw a 3D model of what you want to make, then export that file from your computer to a three-axis printer, which uses plastic extrusion to build each part in
