▁printing ▁processes , ▁that ▁can ▁be ▁grouped ▁into ▁seven ▁categories : ▁▁ ▁V at ▁phot opol ym er ization ▁ ▁Material ▁jet ting ▁ ▁B inder ▁jet ting ▁ ▁Pow der ▁bed ▁fusion ▁ ▁Material ▁extr usion ▁ ▁Direct ed ▁energy ▁de position ▁ ▁She et ▁l am ination ▁ ▁Each ▁process ▁and ▁piece ▁of ▁equipment ▁has ▁pros ▁and ▁cons ▁associated ▁with ▁it . ▁These ▁usually ▁involve ▁aspects ▁such ▁as ▁speed , ▁costs , ▁vers at ility ▁with ▁respect ▁to ▁feed stock ▁material , ▁geomet rical ▁limitations ▁and ▁toler ances , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁mechanical ▁and ▁appearance ▁properties ▁of ▁the ▁products ▁such ▁as ▁strength , ▁texture ▁and ▁color . ▁ ▁The ▁variety ▁of ▁processes ▁and ▁equipment ▁allows ▁for ▁numerous ▁uses ▁by ▁am ateurs ▁and ▁profession als ▁al ike . ▁Some ▁l end ▁themselves ▁better ▁toward ▁industry ▁use ▁( in ▁this ▁case ▁the ▁term ▁Add itive ▁Man ufact uring ▁is ▁preferred ) ▁whereas ▁others ▁make ▁ 3 D ▁printing ▁accessible ▁to ▁the ▁average ▁consumer . ▁Some ▁printer s ▁are ▁large ▁enough ▁to ▁fabric ate ▁buildings ▁whilst ▁others ▁tend ▁to ▁micro ▁and ▁nan osc ale ▁s ized ▁objects ▁and ▁in ▁general ▁many ▁different ▁techn ologies ▁can ▁be ▁explo ited ▁to ▁phys ically ▁produce ▁the ▁designed ▁objects . ▁ ▁Process es ▁ ▁Several ▁ 3 D ▁printing ▁processes ▁have ▁been ▁invent ed ▁since ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁The ▁printer s ▁were ▁originally ▁large , ▁expensive , ▁and ▁highly ▁limited ▁in ▁what ▁they ▁could ▁produce . ▁ ▁A ▁large ▁number ▁of