3D printers build models in layers, which you can see if you look at a model closely. If you want a smoother, shinier surface, you can achieve injection mold-like quality with a little acetone ...

Sanding, bead blasting, and vapor smoothing are the most-popular methods for achieving smooth plastic 3D-printed parts.

If you’re moving beyond foam board wings, 3D printing is an excellent way to create an accurate airfoil, and [Tom Stanton] provides us with an excellent guide to modeling wing sections for easy ...

And that’s what inspired Stefanie Mueller and researchers at the Hasso Plattner Institute to create software that swaps out the parts of a 3D model you don’t need printed with Lego.