The History of 3D Printing: From the 1980s to Today

The foundations of 3D printing date back to the 1980s. In 1984, Chuck Hull invented stereolithography (SLA) and went on to found the first 3D printing company, 3D Systems, in 1986. In 1988, Scott Crump developed FDM technology — today the most widely used method — and founded Stratasys.

Until the 2000s, these technologies were expensive systems accessible only to large industrial organisations. The turning point came with the RepRap project, launched in 2005: the idea of an open-source printer capable of printing its own parts, combined with the expiry of key patents, ignited the desktop 3D printer revolution.

Today, 3D printing is used as a prototyping and mass-production tool across countless sectors — from aerospace and healthcare to automotive and architecture. In Turkey, the additive manufacturing ecosystem is growing every year.