What is 3D printing? The technology changing industry — and kids' bedrooms

3D printing is an innovative manufacturing technology. It creates physical, three-dimensional objects that reproduce digital models. It’s also known as additive or generative manufacturing. It relies on a highly specialised device — a 3D printer — which lays down successive layers of material. The whole process needs a few key ingredients: a three-dimensional computer design, a dedicated program that prepares the model (a so-called slicer), a printing material (plastic filament, resin or powder) and the 3D printer itself.

How does 3D printing work?

The technology was developed as early as 1984 and patented two years later. “3D printing” covers all the Rapid Prototyping technologies created for fast, efficient prototyping. The process builds a finished object by adding successive layers of material — the exact opposite of traditional machining, which removes material.

Different 3D printing techniques are used depending on the material the model is made of and the complexity of the design. The most common materials are ABS, PLA, ASA, PET-G, nylon, metal powders, and classic, biocompatible and engineering resins. The material can be fused by thermal, mechanical or light energy, as well as liquid binders.

Interestingly, although the technology is forty years old, it’s only the last decade — with home printer prices dropping to a few hundred euros — that has made it accessible to schools and families. Today a 3D printer stands in thousands of classrooms, and increasingly often on young makers’ desks.

The process — from idea to object

Our students walk this road in every lesson of the 3D printing path, so let’s describe it step by step:

1. Design — the model is created in a 3D modelling program (children usually start with simple shapes they combine into keychains and figurines).
2. Slicing — the slicer “cuts” the model into layers and turns it into instructions for the printer: temperatures, speeds, infill.
3. Printing — the printer lays down layer after layer; a keychain takes under an hour, a helmet — dozens of hours.
4. Finishing — removing supports, sanding, sometimes painting. This is the moment a design on a screen becomes an object in your hands.

Each stage teaches something different: designing — spatial imagination; slicing — planning and thinking about constraints; printing — patience; finishing — attention to detail. That’s why, in our PMR methodology (Project → Mentor → Reflection), 3D printing is such rewarding material: the entire engineering process fits inside a child-sized project.

What is a 3D printer used for?

3D printing has an enormous range of applications, limited only by imagination and the build volume of the printer. The technology proves itself in aerospace, medicine, automotive and jewellery. It builds prototypes and models of complex geometry. It works in dentistry and prosthetics, enabling custom prostheses. In museums, archaeology and palaeontology it makes three-dimensional models of artefacts — substitute exhibits, souvenir figurines, sculptures with intricate shapes. Architects use it for realistic building models.

The list grows every year: rocket parts, individually fitted prosthetic hands for children (projects like e-NABLE), spare parts for home appliances, even concrete houses. For a child learning to design keychains today, that’s not trivia — it’s a map of the careers that will be waiting for them.

Where should a child’s 3D printing journey start?

You don’t need to buy a printer straight away. At Cybroskill, your child designs online with a 1-on-1 mentor, and we do the printing — the finished print arrives at your door. All it takes to start is a computer and curiosity. During our lessons children explore the ins and outs of 3D printing, learning to design and make objects themselves. The best first step is a starter lesson — and if you want to see how our path differs from video courses, visit the For Parents page.