Arts-and-
crafts applications and replacement parts are
important aspects of this stage. 3-D manufacturing
technology , for example, can be used to produce
colorful action figures, chess pieces, and even
replacement knobs for gas ranges. According to a former technology and engineering
teacher: ‘ ‘In the near future, we will have a desktop
3-D printer in our homes that can produce parts for
our cars, computer widgets, and toaster knobs. We’ll
all have factories in our homes’ ’ (Klaft, 2010, p.