A new 3D printing method, called Crystallinity Regulation in Additive Fabrication of Thermoplastics (CRAFT), has been developed. The method allows the creation of 3D objects with varying mechanical and optical properties — such as hardness and transparency — at the pixel level using a single, inexpensive material. Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin, alongside Sandia National Laboratories, have designed this method that turns a single, cheap liquid into a material chameleon. Cheap printing option Beyond medical use, CRAFT can create “bioinspired” materials for energy damping in gear such as helmets and armor, and for soundproofing. “DLP or LCD 3D printing, which this method is compatible with, are some of the cheapest printers that you can buy,” Page said.