
NSF has shaped additive manufacturing for decades. What is behind the 3-D printing revolution? How is large-scale manufacturing going high-tech? What research will form advanced manufacturing's future?

Students in classrooms across America use 3-D printers every day to learn and experiment. Robotic components can be easily combined in different ways to perform different functions. At the very small scale, programmable materials can even assemble themselves with remarkable precision.
The human body is the most complex biological structure in the known universe. Yet, engineers are pursuing customized replacement parts, rapid design of cancer treatments, and personalized drug delivery for the sick and injured in the future.
3-D printing and other additive manufacturing techniques give engineers and enthusiasts new options.
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