3d printer

In much the same way that your desktop printer is directed to print the words in a document, the 3-D printer's jets, guided by computer-assisted design (CAD) software, create an object by spraying or squeezing one thin layer of material at a time onto the platform, then melding them into place with a precisely directed laser.  This precision results in a finished product that is both more finely made and up to 60 percent lighter in weight—something of particular interest to the aviation industry.