---
title: How 3D Printing Went Mainstream
description: 3D Printing went from the engineering lab to every shop floor. How it got there is an amazing story of creativity, engineering and rapid prototyping.
image: https://www.southernfabsales.com/hubfs/Apollo%203D%20Printed.gif
---
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Posted By: Andy Kamashian | Posted On: April 1, 2019
# How 3D Printing Went Mainstream
3D Printers
In year's past 3D printing was only an engineering concept. The systems were expensive and solely used ABS Plastics creating a cute, yet rather unusable part. Fast Forward 25 years and not only have the printers themselves grown greatly in technology, so has the materials they are printing with.Todays 3D printers can produce direct usable parts from durable materials like High Temperature Industrial Nylon Filament, PEI’s, Synthetic Foams, PETG’s and even Bio Based materials such as Bamboo, Flax and Cellulose. These newer materials allowed for the creation of direct-from-print usable parts.
The rapid advancement has also come with a great price reduction with the simplest of these new systems available for home desktop used for the hobbyist and tinkerer (although still limited to the ABS Plastics). The more capable systems that you will find in engineering labs, Machine and Fabrication shops bring the capability of a much wider range of materials and capabilities into the reach of every one. This rapid growth in materials and technology of today can be compared to todays email technology vs. the old thermal fax technology we had in the 1980’s & 90’s.….Yea it’s really that big of a deal!.
With 3D Printing’s rapid advancements in technology also came improved part accuracy and a greatly reduced price point making these systems not only affordable but albeit a necessity for manufacturers everywhere. With industrial grade systems starting under 15K US, concepts can now go from an idea to a functional part held in the designers hand in just a matter of minutes. Complex Fixtures for machining, assembly or inspection are created in minutes versus days. Inspection gauges are created quickly, cheaply and easily and now ensure machined or fabricated part quality before moving to the next process.
3D Printing is a new concept to most machine and fabrication shops but at ***[Southern Fabricating Machinery Sales, Inc.](https://www.southernfabsales.com/)*** we understand how it can apply and the vast benefits it can have to any shop. It's not just a concept or a toy anymore but a valuable tool that at some point you will wonder how you possibly got along without.
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Andy Kamashian
Andy has extensive experience in Machining as well as Metal Fabricating. Gaining his knowledge through years dedicated to Tool & Die Making, Machining and Metal Fabrication with hands-on applications at companies such as: Kamashian Engineering, US Navy/DOD, Boeing, Charmilles, AGIE and Calypso Waterjet Systems. Andy is able to share this experience to assist you in your machining and fabrication equipment and application needs.
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