Attributes like speed, quality, ease of use and convenience as well as flexibility have rendered the rapid prototypes one of the most popular manufacturing methodologies in the commercial world today. The system is used by almost all the designers and engineers in the manufacturing industry. It provides a greater understanding of the designs and complexities involved in any manufacturing process. In addition it is a rapid tooling for manufacturing industry.

That is why almost all the people involved in some type of manufacturing or other use the technology. Such people include surgeons, architects, artists and other individuals not to mention the Engineers across the globe. In fact the use of prototypes to give the final shape to any new product has become almost a routine affair to day.

Field of rapid prototyping is quite vast and widespread. However, the designers often take a holistic view and refer to all the specific processes with the same nomenclature, rapid prototyping. Individual methods however vary from each other. These methods include stereolithography, SLS, FDM, LOM and 3DP. Each of these methods is rapid prototyping in their own rights. However they are not identical and each of them has its own respective strength and weaknesses.

All said and done, rapid prototyping continues to grow as despite its criticism and weaknesses pointed out, it is the only method that could ensure formation of the object from STL to part in 24 hours