3D printers have been around for some time, but they’re generally used to create rapid prototypes, giving designers an idea of what the final product will be like. Now some folks out there are creating real mechanical devices and the results seem impressive. Amit Zoran from the MIT Media Lab has designed and printed a fully functional flute which was printed on a Connex500 3D printer with the only non-printed items in the instrument being the springs for the keys. The entire process took about 15 hours and a little longer to assemble, but the final product seems worth it. You can check out a video of it in action above, and we’re still dreaming of a future where we can print our own cell phones and gadgets.