Three Things You Need To Understand About 3D Printing To Talk About It Intelligently

Several of the biggest brains in 3D printing joined Quartz for a discussion about the future of the technology at General Assembly in New York City on July 16. Here are the three most interesting things we learned.

1. Customization is effectively free with 3D printing

The upsides of 3D printing are all about total customization. Joergen Geerds, an artist and entrepreneur known for his use of 3D printers to make panoramic photography, pointed out that the NASA US space agency is now using 3D printers to make otherwise expensive rocket components. And doctors are using 3D printers to produce custom hip replacements that fit patients perfectly.