3D printing and additive manufacturing are two terms that are often used interchangeably, but they are not entirely the same. While both techniques involve building a physical object layer by layer, they differ in their approaches and applications. Additive manufacturing is a broader term that encompasses various techniques used to build objects by adding material layer by layer. 3D printing, on the other hand, is a subset of additive manufacturing that refers specifically to using a digital file to create a physical object by layering materials such as plastic, metal, or composite materials. Additive manufacturing encompasses a range of technologies, including 3D printing, but it can also include other techniques such as binder jetting, material extrusion, sheet lamination, and more. Each technique has its unique strengths and limitations and can be used for a variety of applications, from prototyping and modeling to production-grade manufacturing. 3D printing is widely used for prot