3D over 30

3D Printing

In 1986, the first patent for "Apparatus for production of three-dimensional objects by stereolithography" was filed by Charles Hull. Pictured above is one of the first 3D printers ever made. This invention is what evoloved into the modern day 3D printer. The modern 3D printers that you see are because of a patent on fused deposition modeling that expired in 2009, which brought a lot of amazing innovation that it's creator had never thought possible. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases used 3D printing to create physical highly detailed models of protiens to research (pictured below) since in molecular biology the structure determines the function of the protien. Without additive manufacturing, creating complex structures like that would be next to impossible to create.

Source Article: https://medium.com/@HHSIDEALab/the-invent-health-initiative-the-30-year-evolution-of-3d-print-technology-1ae4a5406a5#.ga1iozk0i