General (Love, 2013)
- Prototyping
- Easy replacement of small parts without having to go through a long process with the manufacturer
- Develops personal skills related to 3D modeling and 3D printing that could be beneficial in the future
- Allows people to create what they need, when they need it
- Allows designers/entrepreneurs to bring their products to life in a shorter period of time
Health and Medicine (Smith, 2017)
- The use of 3D printed models of organs based on patients’ 3D scans to better plan with precision each step of the surgery
- The use of 3D printed models to test fit replacements such as valves for the heart to check for possible leaks and other potential problems that could be prevented
US Marine Corps
- “AM is a rapidly advancing manufacturing process which allows direct application to improve the readiness of Marine Corps ground equipment and aviation assets. AM is a secondary source of supply that improves equipment readiness through production at the point of need.” (MCO 4700.4)
- Used for creating replacement and spare parts for equipment that are old and hard to maintain
- Used for creating parts that support them in expeditionary environments such as buckles, snowshoe clips, Humvee handles, etc. (Jackson, 2018)
- Support and increase ground equipment readiness (e.g. vehicle hide structures, shelters)