https://news.umich.edu/3d-prin...s-faster-with-light/
We have had discussions about 3D printing and the hobby, and this article is about a new method that may have brought us closer to where 3D printing could allow creating stuff for our trains and layouts cheaper and easier. Still a lab thing,but interesting.
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BIGKID,
we employ that technology. It is great, but there is more to it. When creating items that are not free stl files, then you have to create a 3D model in CAD, then when printing the files you need to put it on supports to orient the part file correctly or you will get a failed print. Our turntable detail parts pack that we sell are printed this way. The technology is very cool though and we also use it to print our lost wax patterns for parts also. One other note is that the liquid resins are pricey and vary greatly between manufactures. Side note, they have a strong odor to them and we have had to put in a ventilation system to vent fumes to outdoors.
Here is a set of parts off print bed with the supports
and here is our UP arch printed in wax assembled ( this has multiple parts making up this arch)
BigKid and CSX AL, Thank you, both, for your postings on this subject. For me, this 3D printer phenomenon
is a whole new world of adventure, learning , and creativity possibilities. I am trying to learn as much as possible, just for the sake of learning new stuff, and not wanting to be left behind in an old century.
Thanks again, to you both.
It's not the days of my driving my friends around in my father's '54 Merc any more. 
And all of us who were teenagers in the 60's know we have to keep up. Your sharing information here in this regard helps! 
FrankM
I look at 3D printing much like my career field as mainframe computer analyst. When I started, in a state of the art shop, data storage was on huge magnetic tape reels and DASD disks. For the mid-size bank I worked for, it took two rooms that could hold a basketball court to store data. Today I have twice the storage on a hard drive on my PC.
Those kind of gains will come to 3D printing at some point. Molds and tooling may be looked back on as a 'old school' method. I jumped into the laser cutting industry and would like to try 3D but just do not have the ambition to self teach all I need to know. I'll watch what other do.
Check out UV liquid printers.
Here is a shot of the printer I use
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