The kind like 3D printing, except where height and depth matters little, only a general thickness like paper. In fact, I dream of printing paper, into whatever shapes desired, rather than by the sheet that have to be cut into some shapes. Even size may only matter in one dimension if printed on a treadmill like surface like done for some 3D printing, constrained only by the width of the rolling surface.

And what would that 2D paper printing be used for?

Well, sewing patterns for one thing, to save paper waste between the pieces, as well as time to cut out the pieces. Crafts of all sorts, for another, from kirigami to frames to other intricate cut outs for activities like scrap booking, creative cards, and so on. Even blueprints where pieces would otherwise have to be cut out to rearrange for options in layouts, mixing and matching, etc. Imagine the possibilities of what is either not possible, or not feasible given the effort and/or resources required that would stop many from fulfilling their artistic ideas!

But doesn’t this technology exist?

Maybe. Hard to say. It seems a simple enough concept it should. Searching for terms with some form of “print” and “paper” won’t get you anything but the paper you print on, or the printers that print on that paper. Anything resembling a 2D printer I am imagining is really a 3D printer that prints out some plastic or rubber like sheet, rather than paper. The 2D sheets from 3D printers aren’t generally useful for all the things I’m thinking about.

And so I come back to my original idea…

And I dream of 2D printing.

Hoping someone will be able to fulfill that dream.