3D printers and scanners seem to have invaded several high-scale industries lately. Their rise in popularity coincided with the rise of 3D movies and games, and such is not a surprise considering the fact that the film and gaming industries are geared to providing a “real” experience to their patrons. 3D movies became such a hit that even those movies that were not originally in 3D are now in line for a revamp and will be released in 3D, as though they were just filmed and created not five or ten years ago when 3D technology was still unheard of.
It is the same thing for video gaming. Old games get reinvented with 3D processes, letting people experience the same video game they played in their childhood, only more exciting, interactive, and absolutely more entertaining and fun.
Not only are 3D printers and scanners dominating the movie production and gaming industry, they are also stealing the spotlight in prosthetics and orthotics where 3D imaging is needed to get a better, more detailed rendition of a subject. Also, with 3D imaging, expecting mothers can now see the face of their child months before delivery, and surgeons now have highly precise images during medical operations. Business operations strongly involving quality control processes, documentation, inspections, and surveys also have shifted to 3D to ensure quality, thorough, and more accurate results. It is not unusual to see 3D technology making a home in airports, banks, and other places where security is of utmost important.
Other areas where 3D printers and scanners are a must-have are industrial designing and reverse engineering. These are two areas where large volumes of data are processed all at once in order to create. 3d scanning allows for large data input and fast, accurate output. Engineers and architects do not have to solely rely on printed blueprints and numerical data that demand more time, more effort, and certainly more patience. With 3D printers and scanners, digital modelling became easy and making a plan and skeletal print of a structure can be done in less time and in a more detailed manner.