The 3D printing revolution

French engineer and professional violinist Laurent Bernadac poses with the "3Dvarius", a 3D printed violin made of transparent resin in Paris, September 11, 2015. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

Customer Andreas Kroker looks at a 3D-printed figure of himself at the Twinkind 3D printing studio in Berlin, December 13, 2013. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A visitor takes a picture of the 3D printed shoes by architect Zaha Hadid during the Milan Design Week, April 16, 2015. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini

Courtney Wallis poses in a hat made with a 3D printer pen at the third day of the Royal Ascot horse racing festival in southern England, June 19, 2014. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett

A spine model implanted with a 3D-printed artificial axis is displayed at Peking University Third Hospital in Beijing, August 14, 2014. REUTERS/Jason Lee

An example made by the Shapeways 3D printing company is seen at their office in Queens, New York, September 17, 2014. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

A 3D vase called The Hidd, designed by Dan Yeffetlamp is seen at the Belgian company Materialise, in Leuven, January 24, 2013. REUTERS/Yves Herman

A microscopic photo shows a human figure created by a D printing technique for nano structures. REUTERS/Vienna University of Technology

A chocolate bear printed with a 3D food printer of the company XYZprinting at the IFA Electronics show in Berlin, September 2, 2015. REUTERS/Axel Schmidt

A picture shows a twisted savonius rotor that was made by means of 3D printing in Berlin, January 7, 2013. The rotor was created by Gismo at the Raumfahrtagentur hacker space in Berlin and can be used in miniature wind turbines. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

3D-printed objects are seen at the 3D Hubs office in Amsterdam, September 2, 2014. REUTERS/Toussaint Kluiters/United Photos

3D-printed likenesses of people at the Twinkind 3D printing studio in Berlin, December 13, 2013. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

A 3D model of a complex anaplastology case, created in collaboration with the anaplastologist Jan De Cubber, at the Belgian company Materialise in Leuven, January 24, 2013. REUTERS/Yves Herman

A 3D table lamp called the Lotus.MGX, designed by Janne Kyttanen, at the Belgian company Materialise in Leuven, January 24, 2013. REUTERS/Yves Herman