Ryan DugganMrs. CraigsEnglish 916 May 2014The Wonders of 3D PrintingUntil recently, the ability to make anything at the push of a button could only be seen in science fiction films. Today, however, people in families and businesses around the world can do just that. They are creating iPhone cases, chocolate shaped like people's heads, and even plastic prosthetic hands. The ingenuity of the 3D printer makes all this, and more, possible. The 3D printer has spectacular potential to benefit humanity; but as with all technology, the threat of unintended consequences looms. 3D printers have been in the works since the late 1980s. The very first functional models were the size of a refrigerator and cost more than $100,000. Nowadays, 3D printers have become a household commodity with thousands of people making videos on YouTube. 3-D Systems, a North Carolina-based company, has released a much newer model. “The Cube” is their latest 3D printing machine. It's about the size of a toaster and costs just $1,299 (Tweed). Thanks to years of hard work and an expanding market, the 3D printer has become half the size and a fraction of the price. The big question about 3D printing is how to make an object once you get a 3D printer. Making anything with your 3D printer is quite simple. To make a model readable by a 3D printer, you need computer-aided design (CAD) software. Since CAD uses combinations of specific shapes and measurements, a good understanding of geometry is required (Hoffman). Next you need to acquire the necessary materials for the item. 3D printing uses a method that melts the material used to create the desired object (Kovac). Therefore, combustible objects such as wood, paper… half the paper… and produced by 3D printers do not have serial numbers; therefore, the government is not allowed to trace weapons if they are used in illegal activities. Black market companies are making thousands of dollars from guns and CADs 3D printed on their behalf. Congress responded to this epidemic of illegal firearms by renewing the Undetectable Firearms Act. This law bans weapons that cannot be detected by metal detectors or X-ray machines (Kovac). 3D printer is a huge breakthrough in the name of science. What was only seen in science fiction films has become reality. Some people have harnessed this technology and made great strides for humanity. Others have taken great technology and used it to satisfy selfish desires. From sweets to guns, the uses of the 3D printer are endless. As Spiderman's wise Uncle Ben said: “With great power comes great responsibility.”