Article content

TORONTO — Liav Koren hauls his creation onto a table and connects it to his laptop, taps a few buttons and suddenly the squared-off metal arch the size of a bar fridge springs to life.

With a mechanical hum, a nozzle affixed to a white metal bar begins slowly pouring out molten blue plastic as the platform beneath shifts back and forth, tracing the same path over and over again. Slowly, the shape of the letter “N” begins to rise from the platform as the machine pours layer after layer over the same imprint.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Bringing 3D printing to the masses Back to video

Known as the PandaBot, the prototype three-dimensional printer was built by Panda Robotics, a Toronto-based startup at which Mr. Koren serves as lead designer.

While 3D printers have existed for years inside research labs, home workshops and design studios — with price tags ranging well over $100,000 — companies like Panda Robotics are now looking to bring 3D printing technology to the masses, a seismic shift in computing that could change the way we think about manufacturing and consumer products.

Watch the video below to see how a 3D printer works: