3D printing seems to be everywhere these days, used to create everything from handguns to headphones. But what does it really take to get started: How much does it cost, how difficult is it to use, and how do you actually get your hands on a 3D printer?

Last week, a law student from the University of Texas in Austin leased a printer made by Stratasys, the uPrint SE 3D. He wanted it to create a prototype of a 3D-printable handgun. Turns out Stratasys didn't much like that idea, so it took back the printer, saying the student's lack of a firearms manufacturer's license made what he wanted to do illegal. (For more on this topic, see John Paul Titlow's story on How 3D Printing Is Inflaming The Gun Control Debate.)

A Reuters story , meanwhile, found that the European Union is asking member countries to invest in 3D printing technology to speed up and raise manufacturing output.

So just how hard is it for an average person get access to one and actually start making things? 

Why would you want a 3D printer, anyway? Because you can make just about anything with one. From utensils to iphone cases and apparently weaponry, 3D printers can create just about anything your imagination (and a quality computer-aided drafting and design - CADD - software) can create. It's like an Easy Bake Oven for computer geeks.

How Much Do 3D Printers Cost?

Until fairly recently, 3D printers were available only to major industries to create prototypes or cheap and functional products. Now, anyone can get do-it-yourself 3D printing kits from sites like MakerBot for about $1,500.

If you want a more sophisticated machine, though, you'll probably have to deal with a sales rep. That's how Stratasys, the company currently embattled with the law student, sell its machines. The company offers leasing programs for its printers that range from $185/month to $299/month. If you wanted to buy one flat out with no leasing, you'd have to pony up about $10,000. Just this year, CNET reviewed three different types of consumer-available 3D printers that you can log on and buy, no sales rep needed, with prices ranging from $500 to $2,000. 

If you don't have a printer of your own, you can still get 3D models printed out through a service, kind of like a 3D version of FedEx Kinkos. Shapeways, a startup in New York, offers this service: just upload your model idea to the site, choose your materials, and Shapeways will give you a pricing estimate. Within a few weeks, the company will print it out and ship it to you. For particularly creative users who are good with software, the company offers product ideas that you can custom design and build.

How Do They Work?

The process these printers create models is fairly simple. Using a design from a CADD program, they turn 3D images into a series of thin, horizontal, virtual layers until a virtual version of what is to eventually be printed is modeled on screen. These CADD designs can be found online, or created by scanning a physical object. Designing complex objects from scratch requires a certain amount of skill and training.

Depending on the machine and the project, different materials can be used to construct the model. For the cheaper machines, plastic or resin is commonly used, while more industrial projects can employ powered metals, alloys or polycarbonate materials. There are even food-grade printers that use chocolate and sugar to create edible models.

Layer by layer, the machine lays the image out on to a heated platform. 3D systems at home printer Cubeincludes a platform glue that keeps the base of the project steady during printer and washes off with water. Once it's printed and cooled, you'll have a tactile version of something that used to just occupy space in your head. 

If you are itching to print something, but are not particularly creative, a site from Makerbot, Thingiverse can offer up a few ideas. The open-source community has instructions on how to print your own products (like thesefunctional headphones that made tech bloggers drool a few days ago) and provides an overall glimpse into the world of 3D printing and creativity.

操作一台3D打印机究竟有多难

3D打印似乎无处不在这些日子里，用来创造一切从手枪到耳机。但什么是它真正需要上手：需要多少成本，有多难用，你怎么真正得到你的手在3D打印机吗？

上周，来自得克萨斯州的奥斯汀大学的法律系学生租赁的Stratasys公司的uPrint SE 3D制作一台打印机。他想它来创建一个3D打印手枪的原型。原来Stratasys公司不太喜欢这个想法，所以它拿回了打印机，并称学生缺乏的枪械制造商的执照取得了他想要做的是非法的。 （欲了解更多关于这个主题，看看约翰·保罗·Titlow关于如何3D打印是煽动枪支管制辩论的故事。）

路透社报道，同时，发现欧盟正在要求成员国投资3D打印技术，加快和提高制造业产出。

那么，这是多么艰难的普通人可以访问之一，真正开始做的事情？

为什么你会希望有一个3D打印机，反正？因为你可以只是一个东西。从餐具到iPhone的情况下，显然武器，3D打印机可以创建几乎任何你的想象力（和质量计算机辅助绘图和设计 - CADD - 软件）可以创造。这就像一个简易烤炉的计算机爱好者。

做了多少3D打印机成本？

直到最近，3D打印机只提供给各大产业创造原型或便宜，功能性产品。现在，任何人都可以从网站，如MakerBot为1500美元获得做自己动手3D打印套件。

如果你想要一个更复杂的机器，不过，你可能不得不面对一个销售代表。这是Stratasys公司，目前正在与法律系学生四面楚歌的公司，如何出售其机器。该公司提供的租赁方案，其打印机产品，范围从$ 185 /月至299美元/月。如果你想购买一个单位出来，没有租赁，你必须从腰包里掏出1万美元。就在今年，CNET审查三种不同类型的消费者提供3D打印机，你可以登录并购买，不需要销售代表，价格从500美元到2,000元。

如果你没有自己的打印机，你仍然可以得到打印出来，通过服务，有点像3D版联邦快递以Kinkos的3D模型。 Shapeways，在纽约启动，提供这种服务：刚才你的模型的想法上传到网站，选择你的材料和Shapeways会给你一个价格的估计。在几周之内，该公司将它打印出来，并将其发送给您。对于特别创意的用户谁是很好用的软件，该公司提供的产品的想法，你可以自定义的设计和建造。

它们如何工作？

这些打印机创建模型的过程相当简单。使用设计从CADD程序，他们把3D图像转换为一系列轻薄，卧式，虚拟层，直到什么是最终打印是仿照屏幕上的虚拟版本。这些CADD设计可以在网上找到，或通过扫描物理对象创建。从头设计复杂的对象，需要一定的技巧和培训。

根据不同的机器和该项目上，不同的材料可以用来构建模型。对于便宜的机器，塑料或树脂常用，而更多的工业项目可以采用电动金属，合金或聚碳酸酯材料。甚至有使用巧克力和糖打造食用型号食品级打印机。

一层一层，机器勾画出来的图像上加热的平台。在家用打印机3D系统Cubeincludes一个平台，胶水，保持了稳定的项目的基本打印机中，并用清水洗去。一旦它的印刷和冷却，你就会有一些以前只是占用空间，在你的头上触觉版本。

如果你渴望打印的东西，但不是特别有创意，从Makerbot网站，Thingiverse可提供高达一些想法。开源社区对如何打印自己的产品（如，使得高科技博客流口水，前几天thesefunctional耳机）的指令，并提供一个整体一窥3D打印和创造力的世界。