NIH Launches 3D Print Exchange

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently launched the NIH 3D Print Exchange, a public website that enables users to share, download, and edit 3D print files related to health and science. These files can be used, for example, to print custom laboratory equipment and models of bacteria and human anatomy. The NIH 3D Print Exchange also provides video tutorials and additional resources with instruction on 3D modeling software to enable users to customize and create 3D prints.

Creating a model for print can take hours, even for an experienced user. 3D Print Exchange has created novel, web-based tools that allow users to generate high-quality and scientifically-relevant 3D-printable models in only minutes, simply by uploading a file or typing in a database accession code. Users can submit models to the 3D Print Exchange database and openly share tips and software tricks in the discussion forum.