Tuesday Tech Tip: Laser Cutting vs. 3D Printing

In many maker spaces, laser cutting and 3D printing are used together in order to create impressive, detailed items and works of art. However, outside the world of makers, many people aren’t sure how the two are different from each other. It’s true that they have some similarities, but laser cutting and 3D printing are actually very different technologies.

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At the end of the day, while 3D printing and laser cutting do share some features, mainly the ability to create three-dimensional objects and speed up the prototyping process, they really are different technologies with different applications, strengths, and weaknesses. For that reason, it’s advantageous to any maker space to offer both options.