What is 3D printing? A 3D printer uses an "additive manufacturing process" (which means an object is built up a layer at a time). Most 3D printers have a single extruder head, which means if you want to use multiple colors, you may have to print your object in sections, and even then you’ll be limited in how the object can be colored. This is why the most common 3D examples are objects like a blue-hued plastic Yoda -- single color printers are most common.
But while everyone loves printing Yoda, the reality is that today’s 3D printers are being used to print everything from design prototypes to jewelry, crafts, product parts, body parts, and even food.
When stereolithography printers were first introduced back in the mid-1980s, they cost six figures and were targeted at commercial and industrial applications. It wasn’t until about 2012 that prices fell dramatically, with printers costing $1,000 as opposed to $20,000. With the price drops came a broadening of the audience for 3D printers: The maker, arts, and education communities all got on-board, as did designers looking for inexpensive, fast prototyping.