▁at ▁their ▁Wo ens d recht ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base ▁to ▁make ▁fi xt ures ▁and ▁alignment ▁tools . ▁In ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁the ▁Hill ▁Air ▁Force ▁base ▁is ▁using ▁ 3 D ▁printed ▁parts ▁in ▁repair ▁of ▁f ighter ▁j ets . ▁ ▁High er ▁education ▁has ▁proven ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁major ▁bu yer ▁of ▁desktop ▁and ▁professional ▁ 3 D ▁printer s . ▁ ▁Sign ific ant ▁desktop ▁ 3 D ▁printer ▁purch ases ▁by ▁both ▁K - 1 2 ▁and ▁univers ities ▁helped ▁sust ain ▁a ▁desktop ▁ 3 D ▁printer ▁market ▁that ▁had ▁problems ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 6 . ▁ ▁As ▁higher ▁education ▁is ▁the ▁home ▁to ▁research , ▁ 3 D ▁printing ▁is ▁being ▁used ▁to ▁fabric ate ▁equipment ▁to ▁further ▁research ▁and ▁hold ▁down ▁costs . ▁For ▁example , ▁chem ists ▁can ▁ 3 D ▁print ▁flow ▁re actor ▁systems ▁that ▁would ▁otherwise ▁be ▁too ▁cost ly ▁to ▁purchase . ▁The ▁U CL ▁School ▁of ▁Ph arm acy ▁in ▁the ▁UK ▁created ▁a ▁mod ular ▁flow ▁re actor ▁system ▁for ▁chemical ▁synth esis ▁that ▁can ▁easily ▁be ▁ 3 D ▁printed ▁in ▁labor ator ies ▁around ▁the ▁world ▁at ▁low ▁cost . ▁L ibr aries ▁around ▁the ▁world ▁have ▁also ▁become ▁locations ▁to ▁house ▁smaller ▁ 3 D ▁printer s ▁for ▁educational ▁and ▁community ▁access . ▁▁ ▁Cons umer ▁use ▁▁ ▁Several ▁projects ▁and ▁companies ▁are ▁making ▁efforts ▁to ▁develop ▁afford able ▁ 3 D ▁printer s ▁for ▁home ▁desktop