Bioinspired 3D printing: Architected design creates efficient structures

When 3D printing was first introduced in 1985, it marked a major turning point for the manufacturing industry. In addition to being cheaper than traditional manufacturing technologies, it also promised the ability to customize designs and make prototypes on demand. While its technology is still considered relatively new, there has been an accelerating demand for 3D printing methods across sectors in the past decade, ranging from aerospace and defense to medicine.