machinist or the large and expensive machinery they employ.

Today's printer is a thing of beauty, they are compact, they work clean and they produce nearly flawless finishes that need little if any clean-up. A friend is purchasing one for his business and since it is one of the higher quality machines it runs in the area of $90,000.00 USD and is about the size of a large water cooler. While this unit is extremely expensive it is estimated to pay for itself in under five years - good because by then it will surely be outdated.

These printers are used in all forms of commercial businesses from industrial design to toys. In the case of toys, computer sculpting programs are used to create a unique form much like a sculptor would in clay. This form is then finished and detailed within the software before sending it to the printer. There is talk in the industry that 3-d printers may become as common in homes as the average paper printer is now with toy companies eagerly investing in technology that will allow kids to design and build their own toys at home.