Race cars, titanium knees, artificial heart models and outlandish lamps made up of dozens of naked human figurines are just some of the products being churned out at one of the world’s largest 3D printing factories.
The Materialise plant in Belgium has more than 100 printing machines working around the clock in a business worth more than half-a-billion dollars.
The business was founded 25 years ago, just months after the first 3D printer was invented.
Materialise CEO Wilfried Vancraen said they were one of the earliest players in the world.
“Our first machine was number 32 [ever built],” he said.
“It started in the early 90s when we developed first possibilities to directly print from MRI or CT scans accurate copies of human anatomies.
“It was very interesting for surgeons for the first time to try out patients’ anatomy to see how they would approach surgery in a real life environment.”
From little things big things grow
The printers have serviced Formula One teams and the wider automotive industry, as well as Boeing and NASA in the aerospace industry, but more than half of the company’s business is in medical services.
Materialise now produces tens of thousands of customised titanium body parts. Its best seller is knee implants.
The company has continued to innovate to keep up with demand. Amongst its show stoppers is the world’s first 3D-printed racing car.
The car is made of eco-friendly materials, which have not slowed it down – it can reach 100 kilometres per hour in just four seconds.
Materialise’s unique products have caught the eye of many a celebrity.
A limited edition light built from figures of dozens of naked men was worth around 35,000 euros.
Its owners are believed to include Nike CEO Mark Parker and actor Angelina Jolie.
Mr Vancraen said the company had grown at 20 per cent per year since its inception.
In June, it raised around $100 million in an Initial Public Offering on the NASDAQ to help fund that growth.
Analysts have said the global market for 3D printing is now worth $1 billion and could grow to five times that by 2018.
Watch Emily Stewart’s report on The Business tonight at 8:30pm (AEDT) on ABC News 24 or 11:00pm on ABC.