This year, Canadian manufacturing company Xaba unveiled Project Arrow, an electric concept car with a completely 3D-printed chassis, CleanTechnica reports.

Until now, cars have been manufactured using specialized machinery that cuts, bends, and welds metal into shape. Because the process uses so many individual, specific machines, manufacturers need huge factories for production. 

The capabilities of these machines also limit design possibilities. For example, if a designer wanted to make a component hollow to reduce weight, but a hollow version is harder to make than a solid version, the final car might be manufactured with the heavier solid component to save time and money.

Now, 3D printing offers an alternative. This technology uses materials like plastic, resin, metal, or concrete that start out as a liquid but cool to become solid. 

According to Explain That Stuff!, the printer builds this material into a 3D shape by adding flat layers one after another. The shape is controlled by a computer, programmed with a model of the finished product. With the right equipment and materials, this method can print anything from toys to houses.