3D printing: where art and technology meet, one layer at a time
Jan 20, 2024 – [[read-time]] minute read
There were more than 4 billion views of videos with variations of "3D print" in the title in 2023.
Not long ago, the practice of 3D printing might have seemed straight out of science fiction. Give a machine the designs and materials for any object and - voila! - it’ll make it for you. In recent years, 3D printing has exploded in popularity on YouTube thanks to tutorials, comparisons, timelapse videos, and more. There were more than 4 billion views of videos with variations of "3D print" in the title in 2023.1
One of the most popular types of content features YouTube creators comparing 3D printed objects with their real-life counterparts. Micheal Pick and engineericly have used this format with everything from paint brushes to boomerangs. There’s almost no limit to their creativity and it’s anyone’s guess as to what comparisons they’ll come up with next.
Viewers looking to dive deeper into 3D printing-related content are in luck. Creators like marsgizmo provide helpful and interesting tutorial videos for viewers looking to dive deeper. Timelapse videos, like Craft Channel’s recap of 3D printing a helicopter, are also a great way to see an object take shape before your eyes.
All of this interest in 3D printing comes at a time when MakerBot, a company that helped bring the technology to life, celebrates the 15-year anniversary of its founding in 2009. To mark the occasion, we came up with a special logo (also known as a Yoodle) and put together a playlist full of all types of 3D printing videos. We’ve also created an original Short highlighting the latest innovations in the 3D printing space. Check it out to get inspired for your next project, or start your own journey.
1. Source: YouTube Data, Global, Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2023.