The company Solid Concepts used a 3D printer to create the world's first metal gun called The 1911 DMLS. This is an actual working firearm, which has successfully fired 50 rounds.

Several jewelry designers are now using 3D printing to custom-design pieces that resemble handcrafted items. However, after the most recent breakthroughs in high-end specialized 3D modeling software and more printable materials available, more and more jewelry designers are choosing to 3D model and print their designs rather than create them by hand.

For example when testing the safety of new bridges or buildings created using parametric software, they can be printed in 3D very fast and then tested in different scenarios without having to actually build them. It is possible to simulate all kinds of weather conditions before investing in building materials.

Manufacturers are using 3D printing to change design and production methods, creating several advantages to any industry and shifting the power of old supply chains.

A global window and door components manufacturer — used to outsource in-house tooling and R&D parts. Now they use metal and carbon fiber 3D printers to create everything from assembly fixtures to production parts, which keeps costs down and gets products to market faster. It used to take six to eight weeks for production tooling alone. “We can build assembly equipment overnight now,”