3D printing technology is increasingly being used in manufacturing, model making and machining industries.3D printing is invaluable in model making as a virtual blueprint can be quickly and easily created which can then be sliced into cross-sections digitally in order for the construction machine to have an accurate guideline for the 3D printing to take place.

Various types of 3D printing and design machines are available with a variety of different materials suitable for the production of the models. The materials are generally deposited onto the platform or build bed and then layered until the 3D model is complete and has been effectively printed in real, physical terms.

The data interface between the Computer Aided Design (CAD) software and the actual model making machine is in STL format which uses triangular facets to approximate the parts and shapes needed to create the actual model.This technique allows almost every conceivable geometric feature and shape to be created by the model making machines.

Constructing models using more contemporary methods takes a comparatively long period of time. Historical model makers could spend many hours or even days depending upon the size, complexity and method used for model making and time is money making this type of construction method quite expensive.

Some model making techniques like injection moulding were less timely and therefore more cost effective in many cases but still cannot compare to the quick and easy models which can be created using the latest state of the art 3D printing and CAM modelling.

Some of the latest technology can produce models which are made up of a variety of materials for the different parts of the construction and some can print different colours and combinations simultaneously.

The world of model making has certainly progressed thanks to the 3D printing and CAD technology.