Additive manufacturing

Additive manufacturing is a very special way that things are made. Normally, when we make things, we start with a big piece of something and then we cut or carve it down until we get the shape we want. Additive manufacturing is different because you start with nothing and add small pieces one-by-one until you get the shape you want. Imagine that you have a big pile of building blocks in front of you, and you want to build a car. You start with a flat base and then add blocks one-by-one, stacking them up until you have the shape of a car. Additive manufacturing works in a similar way, but instead of using blocks, it uses tiny particles that are melted and formed into shape by a special machine. This means that we can make really complicated shapes and structures that would be very difficult or impossible to make using traditional methods. Additive manufacturing is used in lots of different industries, including medicine, aerospace, and even fashion!