A group of young innovators, then working at Johnson Space Center, used their NASA experience in robotics and more to build an inexpensive, easy-to-use, large-scale 3D printer. The standard configuration can print items up to eight cubic feet, or 30 times larger than competing desktop models. It's used around the world, including at NASA, and the company also gives away printers to groups looking to make a difference with technology.
Finding spare parts or a new tool can be a challenge in remote places — whether that's in space or on Earth. In recent years, NASA has been exploring a new solution: printing what it needs on 3D printers. A team including engineers from Marshall Space Flight Center and 3D printing company Made In Space built the first 3D printer ever shown to work in zero gravity. It was installed on the ISS in 2014 and has printed tools based on designs emailed from Earth.
Learn more about how NASA helped develop technology that impacts 3d printers within your city's manufacturing environment!