Table 3.

Advantages and disadvantages of 3D printers.

Type of printer	Advantages	Disadvantages
Stereolithography	High resolution can reach submicron scale	Expensive laser systems Laser could damage living cells Limited to UV-curable substances
Thermal inkjet printer	Use of small droplet volume permits high-resolution printing	Requires the use of material that has a high gelation rate which limits the materials that can be used
Fused deposition binding	Objects can be produced using cheap systems	During the processing stages, rough surfaces are produced. Low resolution
Powder binding	Low cost Fast printing speed Wide variety of powder material	Low resolution Difficult to remove the solvent/liquid binder

3D: three-dimensional; UV: ultraviolet.