3D printing is a process that creates three-dimensional objects from a digital model. It’s often called additive manufacturing (AM) because the objects are built by adding successive layers of material, one on top of the next.
Conventional manufacturing uses subtractive methods where the desired shape is created by cutting material away from a solid block. 3D printing is less wasteful because material is only added where it’s needed to create the part.
A 3D printer is the machine that builds the part. 3D printers differ based on the type of printing technology used and the size of the parts they can build. To make the part, the printer gets its “instructions” from a CAD model and software “slices” the CAD model into virtual layers. The printer then applies material where it’s needed to build each layer until the object is completed.