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History of 3D Printing

Early Concepts (1940s-1970s)​

The concept of 3D printing emerged long before its practical application:

  • 1945: Murray Leinster described a similar concept in his short story "Things Pass By."

  • 1950: Raymond F. Jones outlined "molecular spray" in his story "Tools of the Trade."

  • 1971: Johannes F Gottwald patented the Liquid Metal Recorder (U.S. patent 3596285A).

  • 1974: David E. H. Jones discussed 3D printing concepts in a New Scientist column.

Invention and Early Development (1980s)​

The 1980s marked the birth of modern 3D printing:

  • 1980: Dr. Hideo Kodama filed a patent (JP S56-144478) for a rapid prototyping machine using UV light to polymerize resin, laying the groundwork for stereolithography (SLA).

  • Bill Masters filed the first 3D printing patent (US 4665492) on July 2, focusing on computer-automated manufacturing. Alain Le Méhauté, Olivier de Witte, and Jean Claude André filed a patent for SLA on July 16, but it was abandoned.Chuck Hull filed a patent for SLA on August 8, granted in 1986, and created the .stl file format, earning him the title "inventor of 3D printing."

  • 1986: Hull founded 3D Systems Corporation, commercializing SLA technology.

  • 1987: 3D Systems released the SLA-1, the first commercial 3D printer.

  • 1988: Carl Deckard patented Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) at the University of Texas.

  • 1988: Scott Crump developed Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and founded Stratasys.

  • 1989: Stratasys released the first FDM printer.

Growth and Expansion (1990s-2000s)​

The industry expanded significantly:

  • 1990: EOS GmbH was founded, introducing the EOS "Stereos" system.

  • 1992: The FDM patent was issued to Stratasys.

  • 1993: Solidscape (formerly Sanders Prototype) was established, focusing on inkjet 3D printing.

  • 1995: Z Corporation licensed binder jetting technology from MIT.

  • 1999: Advances enabled the creation of engineered organs, expanding medical applications.

  • 2000: The first 3D printed kidney was created.

  • 2004: Dr. Adrian Bowyer initiated the RepRap Project, aiming to create self-replicating 3D printers.

  • 2005: ZCorp launched the Spectrum Z510, the first high-definition color 3D printer.

  • 2008: The first 3D printed prosthetic limb was produced.

  • 2009: FDM patents entered the public domain, spurring affordable consumer printers.

Mainstream Adoption and Advancements (2010s-2020s)​

3D printing became widely accessible:

  • 2010: The Urbee, the first 3D printed car prototype, was unveiled.

  • 2011: Cornell University began developing 3D food printers.

  • 2012: The first 3D printed prosthetic jaw was implanted.

  • 2013: President Obama highlighted 3D printing in his State of the Union address.

  • 2015: Carbon 3D introduced the CLIP (Continuous Liquid Interface Production) printer for faster printing.

  • 2016: Daniel Kelly’s lab created 3D printed bone.

  • 2018: The first family moved into a 3D printed house (1022 sq ft, printed in 2 days).

  • 2020s: Advanced materials like Ultrasint® PA11 ESD and TPU01 were introduced for demanding applications.