in the CAD modelling process, effectively any physical object can be designed. This means 3D printers are able to produce objects which are uniquely designed to solve specific tasks. As we’ll explore below, this makes 3D printers well suited to producing spare parts for broken machinery and reducing reliance on spare part repositories.

A Fab Lab, or digital fabrication laboratory, is a facility which houses a range of additive manufacturing equipment and resources. Centred around these Fab Labs are communities of makers who teach each other additive manufacturing processes, build up each other’s skills and connect with a network of other Fab Labs to collaborate on projects.

Filament is the material which is fed through the heating chamber to melt before being deposited and solidified to form the layers that make up a 3D printed object. There are a variety of materials that can be used for 3D printing, but thermoplastic filament is the most common, given its flexibility.

Fused deposition modelling is the most common type of 3D printing process. FDM printers are popular because they have short lead times, a range of options for customisation and are more cost effective than alternatives. On the downside, FDM printers have a lower resolution than other printers, meaning they’re less capable of producing intricate, small parts.

Stereolithography printers form layers of material using ultraviolet light and resin. A photochemical reaction between the light and the resin (a material that can be converted to a polymer) is used to form successive layers according to the code in a slicing file. Precision is one of the key benefits of SLA, meaning that it can produce more detailed parts than what’s possible with FDM.

The RepRap printer is itself formed with the kind of polymers that are usually used in the 3D printing process. What this means is that they can self-replicate; makers can print out kits to produce another RepRap printer. This allows for people to print equipment according to their desired specifications. The process gives makers the flexibility to create products that suit the needs of their context, and use their own printer to scale and expand their businesses.

When disasters or humanitarian crises arise, there is a huge need to quickly deliver supplies that can help restore communities' resilience and reduce negative impacts. Humanitarian supply chains can be hindered by unpredictability, resource constraints and long waits for resources to be shipped. 3D printers can help communities reduce their reliance on such supply chains, by printing much needed resources on the ground with available materials, suited to the local context.

In low-income settings it can be particularly difficult to procure spare parts to fix broken machinery. When machines are bought or donated from overseas, medical staff have to identify which spare part repository they need to contact and wait for those parts to be shipped. With a 3D printer they can quickly design, or alter existing open-source designs, to produce spare parts and keep life-saving machinery running.

3D printers have a range of potential uses in agriculture. On the supply side, 3D printers have the potential to produce necessary tools for communities isolated from traditional supply chains. In relation to customisation, they can be used to print equipment that is suited to the specific needs of a farm and what they’re producing. For instance, hydroponic equipment can be easily altered from open-source designs to suit the production of different crops.