Quiz on 3D Printing

What does a 3D printer use to create a physical object?

• A digital 3D model ✓ (Correct answer)
• A printed photograph
• A wax casting
• A hand drawing

Source: Every print starts as a digital 3D file the printer reads slice by slice.

Which plastic is the most popular 3D printing filament?

• PVC
• Acrylic
• PLA ✓ (Correct answer)
• Polyester

Source: PLA is made from cornstarch and sugarcane, making it the beginner-friendly favorite.

3D printing is more formally known by what other name?

• Subtractive manufacturing
• Additive manufacturing ✓ (Correct answer)
• Rapid milling
• Hot stamping

Source: It adds material instead of cutting it away, the opposite of carving or milling.

How does a typical 3D printer build an object?

• Layer by layer ✓ (Correct answer)
• Carving a solid block
• Pouring into a mold
• Pressing a stamp

Source: Objects rise one thin layer at a time, like stacking hundreds of pancakes.

What form does most desktop 3D printer material take?

• A liquid ink cartridge
• A fine powder packet
• Pressed metal sheets
• A plastic filament spool ✓ (Correct answer)

Source: A spool of plastic string feeds in and melts through a hot nozzle.

What quality are resin 3D printers especially praised for?

• Bright colors
• Flexibility
• Fine detail ✓ (Correct answer)
• Heat resistance

Source: Resin printers capture tiny details, which is why hobbyists love them for miniatures.

What is the classic beginner test print for a new printer?

• A toy car
• A small boat ✓ (Correct answer)
• A coffee mug
• A phone case

Source: The little 'Benchy' boat is a worldwide benchmark print downloaded millions of times.

Which medical device has 3D printing made dramatically cheaper?

• MRI scanners
• Stethoscopes
• Prosthetic hands ✓ (Correct answer)
• Wheelchairs

Source: Printed prosthetic hands can cost a few dollars instead of thousands.

Which food has been successfully 3D printed?

• Fresh apples
• Bottled water
• Whole raw eggs
• Chocolate ✓ (Correct answer)

Source: Melted chocolate pipes through a nozzle to print edible, custom shapes.

During the 2020 pandemic, 3D printers were rushed to make what?

• Face shields ✓ (Correct answer)
• Vaccine doses
• Cloth masks
• Bandages

Source: Volunteers printed millions of plastic face shield frames when supplies ran short.

Which open-source project sparked the home 3D printer boom?

• RepRap ✓ (Correct answer)
• Arduino
• Raspberry Pi
• Linux

Source: RepRap printers were designed to print most of their own parts, spreading rapidly.

What happened when key 3D printing patents expired around 2009?

• A government ban on printers
• A boom in cheap printers ✓ (Correct answer)
• A spike in plastic prices
• A global material shortage

Source: Expired patents let startups flood the market with affordable desktop machines.

What does the common acronym 'FDM' stand for?

• Fast Digital Molding
• Filament Drive Mechanism
• Fused Deposition Modeling ✓ (Correct answer)
• Form Direct Manufacturing

Source: Fused Deposition Modeling is the melt-and-stack method most home printers use.

Bioprinting research ultimately aims to produce what?

• Synthetic diamonds
• Replacement organs ✓ (Correct answer)
• Stem-cell pills
• Blood plasma

Source: Scientists print living cells in hopes of one day making transplantable organs.

Metal 3D printers usually fuse fine metal powder using what?

• A blowtorch flame
• Strong acid baths
• Heavy hammering
• A focused laser ✓ (Correct answer)

Source: A laser melts powder grain by grain, building solid metal from dust.

Why is NASA keen on 3D printing aboard spacecraft?

• To generate oxygen
• To make spare parts on demand ✓ (Correct answer)
• To cool the spacecraft
• To store crew data

Source: Printing tools in orbit beats waiting months for a resupply rocket.

What does 'slicing' software do before a print starts?

• Smooth the final surface
• Add color to the object
• Convert a model into printable layers ✓ (Correct answer)
• Scan a real-world object

Source: Slicers chop a 3D model into the layers and toolpaths the printer follows.

The first 3D printing technique, invented in the 1980s, hardened what?

• Liquid resin ✓ (Correct answer)
• Plastic filament
• Metal powder
• Paper sheets

Source: Stereolithography used UV light to cure liquid resin, long before filament printers existed.

What controversial object was first 3D printed and fired in 2013?

• A house key
• A working firearm ✓ (Correct answer)
• A car key
• A credit card

Source: The 'Liberator' pistol sparked a global debate about printable, untraceable guns.

Why do aerospace firms 3D print jet engine parts?

• Cheaper raw materials
• Faster engine speeds
• Quieter operation
• Lighter, fewer-part designs ✓ (Correct answer)

Source: Printing merges dozens of components into one lighter piece, cutting weight and joints.