Despite years of increasing public focus on the issue of affordable housing, it wasn’t until the end of last year that US federal policymakers introduced a comprehensive bill to address the problem. The bill — called the “21st Century Road to Housing Act” — has now passed through both houses of the US Congress, providing a national framework that should facilitate new solutions for builders aiming to lower costs and pass the savings on to homebuyers.
Meanwhile, the private sector has already been busy making its own breakthroughs towards putting a dent in persistently rising housing prices, and additive construction (AC) is a key part of that story. Most recently, RIC Robotics, an AC service provider headquartered in Denver, announced that it’s working on one of the largest single 3D printed housing builds, on 55 acres in central Colorado.
The overall community, called Cleora, will comprise 106 homes, with around two-thirds of those homes planned to be built using RIC’s AC robots. Uniquely, Cleora is being planned as its own metro district, integrating provisions of infrastructure including utilities and recreational facilities into the blueprint.
Additionally, the project managers for Cleora will partner with Colorado Mountain College, a local community college, to train students for careers in automated construction. According to RIC Robotics, seven homes have been completed thus far, and multiple units have already been sold.
In a press release about the Cleora planned community being built in Colorado with RIC Robotics’ hardware, Dr. Ryan Cox, the CEO of RIC Robotics, said, “Much of the conversation around 3D-printed construction has centered on individual homes and demonstration projects. Cleora represents a significant step forward because it demonstrates how robotics can be integrated into a real community at meaningful scale. The project is helping answer important questions about how technology can support the future of housing delivery, from construction efficiency and workforce development to long-term community growth.”
Greg Kenny, the Managing Partner of Cleora, said, “From day one, our vision wasn’t simply to build 3D-printed homes, it was to prove that robotics could transform how entire communities are designed and delivered. Cleora is demonstrating that this technology is ready to move beyond prototypes and become a practical, scalable solution for real neighborhoods. RIC Robotics has been an outstanding technology partner in helping bring that vision to life.”
There’s at least one major provision in the affordable housing bill which should benefit this sort of project in the future, which is a grant program that will fast-track construction projects working from “a collection of pre-approved housing designs.” More broadly, the very fact that DC is now prioritizing affordable housing solutions on a bipartisan level, and is embracing a certain amount of creativity in approaching the issue, bodes well for the AC market.
Construction is unique insofar as you need some sufficient baseline of public policy cooperation to accomplish things like Cleora, which are required at this point in order to make the cost economics of AC work. But it’s still noteworthy that 3D printed construction enterprises have managed to figure out various formulas for systematizing public-private construction partnerships in a relatively short period of time.
That’s something that the AM industry as a whole could learn from, and it also signals that, now that it is catching on, 3D printed housing could grow more quickly than has been anticipated. Personally, I don’t love the idea of private entities managing communities the way that the public sector is supposed to have been doing, but the public sector has dropped the ball on a massive scale in this and so many other areas, so it’s perhaps to be expected.
On the other hand, maybe the new support that politicians are demonstrating for a social equity issue like housing points to a future where the public sector starts to once again assume more of the responsibilities that were previously solely within the purview of government, but this time with the help of emerging technology industries. It’s a very strange world that’s in the process of forming! Let’s hope that at the very least it’s one where the goal of home ownership no longer seems impossible.
UV printing has been around for ages, of course. But, since a few years ago, desktop UV printers have made their way into households, small businesses, and enterprises. These machines can often print textures and print on things like mugs. They’ve become money makers for solopreneurs and helped small businesses make souvenirs, mementos, and products.
We can all remember Rize, which combined color inkjet with Material Extrusion to make tough but colorful parts. It’s easy to see how inkjet on top of Material Extrusion or Vat Polymerization parts would solve a lot of our problems. At the same time, by separating the printing and coloring steps into two different machines, or two processes in one machine, it could be more efficient.
To me it’s clear: we’re on a collision course with the UV printer industry. I don’t know how realistic it is to take any 3D printed part and somehow spin it around so an inkjet can color all of it. This is an obvious idea, but I’m not sure how hard it would be to make it real, it looks complex. But, people are working on making different versions of this process real. I do know that it would be totally doable to do this for some parts, designed in a particular way to be colored easily through inkjet printing. Imagine that as long as you had flat surfaces, round surfaces of certain angles, and planes of a certain size, the machine could color those areas. That alone would be huge for us.
At the same time we can see that UV printers are very successful. And some companies such as Anker, Mimaki, Roland DG, and Snapmaker are active in both 3D printing and UV printing. So I know that given their capabilities, eventually we will get an Advanced 3D printing and UV printing capability whereby advanced UV 3D printers will be able to color some surfaces through inkjet. It seems completely obvious (although not easy!) to me, so I thought I’d share what is going on.
Eufymake
The most obvious success point in this arena is EufyMake. You may not have heard of desktop UV printers, but you may have heard about their whopping $46,762,258 Kickstarter. The Eufymake E1 is a full-color desktop texture UV printer, selling for around $2500. The same firm raised $8 million for the AnkerMake 3D printer. And yes, that means they are backed by Anker. This firm has shown incredible marketing prowess in 3D printing and UV. Anker is a $4.24 billion revenue firm, but more than this, the company makes its money from power banks, headphones, security cameras, and plugs. Making money from power banks is really the coal face of capitalism. I can not imagine how difficult it would be to launch and maintain a headphone company now. Do you fear Bambu? Well, Anker is what keeps the panda up at night. UV on 3D is already a point of interest for the firm and I just feel that they’re working on it.
Snapmaker
Snapmaker is well known in 3D printing. Their U1 is an interesting multi tool head system. It also has the Artisan 3-in-1 system, which has a laser and CNC as well as 3D printing. It’s easy to see this company going deeper into integrating UV into their experience and making a 4-in-1.
Mimaki
Japanese firm Mimaki already makes a 3D printing machine that is full color. It also makes a lot of other flatbed machines in small to large models. Here, Mimaki will probably stick to its inkjet-based 3D printing. But, the company has done a lot of the hard work in color mapping and the like, so its print heads or technology could be a basis for a combined solution.
Roland DG
Japanese firm Roland makes a lot of CNC and other tools generally. The firm is also a leader on UV and inkjet on a lot of different surfaces. In its VersaStudio BD series, it already has a desktop UV flatbed, but it’s priced at around $6000. Roland typically makes good machines though, and is pioneering effective printing on things like golfballs and other non-traditional surfaces.
It also has a bunch of desktop CNC and milling machines so it could also master getting things in the right position. The firm also has a binder jet 3D printer, and in yet a different division, has a desktop SLA printer for dental. Roland is the company that could totally do this and has all the relevant experience in-house, including printing on many different substrates. As we so far have learned from Japanese corporations, this is the most logical company to do this, but because it is straightforward, they will probably not do it.
Epson
A case in point is Epson of course, which has a series of UV flatbed printers. As you can see, the company is actually developing direct to object printing. The high-end system pairs robots and print heads using its Direct to Shape Printing System. The system uses a “6-axis robot and lifting mechanisms that independently raise and lower the printheads are used in combination to allow Direct to Shape Printing System to flexibly accommodate printing on objects from different angles with outstanding quality and accuracy.” I didn’t know about this when I started the article, so it’s nice that they’re working on making this real. They have everything in-house and I think that it would be interesting for them to commercialize a system to work in combination with 3D printing to finish parts. I’m not sure how real it would be, but this would be incredible for our industry if we could get one.
HeyGears
HeyGears has been making waves as of late with vat polymerization systems. Now. the company wants to make the G1 Series, which combines UV printing with 3D printing.
The HeyGears setup claims to offer 10 million colors with eight channel ink and automated calibration. They showcase a desktop system that can 3D print and UV print. It’s still a bit hazy what they’re doing, but this seems like it will be a combination between vat polymerization and inkjet or UV LED. Maybe it just prints on some cross sections to get color? One crazy thing is that they seem to have nine different ink tanks with a liter capacity each. I’m most excited about HeyGears in the short term because this looks like it’s very interesting indeed.
Procolored
Procolored already has direct-to-garment and other UV systems. Its new X One system costs $3800 and combines laser cutting with UV printing. This could be a really inexpensive way to make colored items, but adding a third dimension to it will probably be hard for the firm.
Inew3D (Simba3D, Tuoyuan)
Inew3D wants to combine 3D printing with AI, so it can take your selfie and turn it into a 3D print. From what I can tell, this could just be a complete copy of Stratasys PolyJet. The company says it has water soluble supports and wants to do a Kickstarter. Its new machine is firmly aimed at consumers, but under the Simba3D and Tuoyuan names, the company previously commercialized the QC2A. Its Kickstarter for the inew3D has raised over a million.
Stratasys
Stratasys of course could do either a PolyJet version for the desktop, or a combination of inkjet and FDM, but there are no signs of this.
3D Systems
3D Systems used to do desktop Material Extrusion, and now has MJP. Conceivably, the company could also mix and match a few technologies to do something similar.
xTool has made a bunch of devices, such as a laser welder and CNC cutter, a heat press, several laser cutters, a screen printer, and a garment printer. Its new Omni can print on fabric, rigid objects, decals, and more. In doing rolls and objects, they’ve managed to make a really complex system that sells for around $2700. I would never fully sleep well if I was competing with a company that makes a digital screen print machine and a handheld laser welder and cutter with a 1200W fiber laser. This is completely insane. You do not know what these guys will do next. And so far they’re making excellent tools, printers, and laser cutters.
Glowforge
Glowforge is making desktop laser cutters and engravers. They really have owned the category for a lot of customers and make accessible products. Nothing they do is complex, it’s just made specific to the user and inexpensive. I have no inclination of them doing something like this, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re thinking about it.
Omtech
Omtech makes desktop engravers, UV printers, fabric printers, and embroidery machines. The company mainly caters to services who sell to consumers, so I’m not sure that the firm would make a desktop machine. But, they could make some kind of hybrid system for a more industrial user.
Ricoh
Ricoh has a medical 3D printing service, provides inkjet heads to 3D printing firms, a ceramics binder jet machine, and a full color inkjet solution. This could mean that they’re most likely to focus on the industrial side of things, but they could of course make a full color 3D printer for the desktop.
Morpho
Morpho uses an Epson i3200 print head to make objects up to 60mm. The 8-channel printhead has 400 nozzles for CMYK and 400 for white, and the company claims its system is significantly faster than others.
HP
HP is very active in 3D printing on the industrial side, and also has a lot of different inkjet printers. It does not seem to be in the company’s strategy to make a more desktop-sized, full color unit.
Conclusion
We can see a lot of movement in the desktop UV printer space. Millions are being raised, while new companies are emerging that dominate the space. At the same time, people are integrating lots of different types of devices. One of these days someone will find a way to combine inkjet and desktop 3D printing.
We don’t know it this will be through inkjet and material extrusion, inkjet and vat polymerization, combining two machines in one machine, two separate machines, a combo with robot arms or positioning tools, for many objects, or just some of a particular series. But, I think that 3D printing and UV desktop printing are two worlds that are set to collide.
If these firms compete with us, then we will have to deal with more scrappy, more agile, and much bigger firms than we have been accustomed to. I think that the collision of 3D printing with UV inkjet could be one of the more fundamentally interesting things ever to happen to our market.
High-temperature nickel-based superalloys like MAR-M 247LC (M247LC), the low-carbon version of MAR-M 247, are used for casting in some of the most demanding applications in the world, including gas turbines, energy, aerospace propulsion, and industrial systems. In addition to its high-temperature performance, M247LC also offers cracking resistance, improved ductility, and manufacturability, all of which enable components to work reliably in extreme environments.
But, there are more challenges than ever with traditional investment casting supply chains, from high tooling costs and long lead times to a smaller supplier base. This has led many engineering and manufacturing organizations to investigate alternative production methods, like metal binder jetting (MBJ).
The webinar, moderated by 3DPrint.com, features experts from Texas companies Continuum Powders and AmPd Labs. They will draw on the latest mechanical testing results and qualification progress to show how binder-jetted M247LC has been able to achieve mechanical performance equivalent to conventionally casting, as well as improved ductility and process repeatability.
Tim Neal, CEO, AmPd Labs
There will be three speakers, and the first is Tim Neal, the CEO of AmPd Labs. The Houston-based company helps its customers take advanced metal and polymer parts from concept to production, focusing particularly on speeding up qualification and adoption of high-performance alloys, like M247LC, for aerospace and defense, industrial, and energy applications. During the webinar, Neal will provide a high-level overview of M247LC and why engineers use it, the material’s typical applications, traditional casting workflow limitations, and why many organizations keep using less optimal materials.
Sean Harkins, Co-Founder and COO, AmPd Labs
Sean Harkins, the Co-Founder and COO of AmPd Labs, will focus on MBJ as an alternative production method to casting. He’ll explain why binder jetting is well-suited for MAR-M 247LC, such as faster iteration cycles and reduced lead times, complex geometry advantages, tooling-free manufacturing, and more.
Harkins will then be joined by Sunil Badwe, PhD, the Vice President of R&D at Continuum Powders, which delivers high-quality metal powder solutions for additive manufacturing (AM) and advanced industrial applications. Together, Harkins and Dr. Badwe will review the findings from an AmPd whitepaper about the mechanical properties of binder-jetted MAR-M 247LC.
Sunil Badwe, PhD, VP of R&D, Continuum Powders
Finally, Dr. Badwe will share his materials science perspective on the high-temperature superalloy, including grain structure advantages, the relationship between powder quality and final properties, why ductility improvements are important, and continuing qualification and optimization work.
The webinar will focus on the materials science behind successfully processing M247LC with MBJ, such as microstructure and powder quality, as well as qualification progress. Other discussion points will include the role of reclaimed metal feedstocks in producing high-performance superalloy powders; increasing supply chain resilience and reducing lead times; and opportunities across marine turbine, aerospace and defense, power generation, and oil & gas applications.
The webinar will end with a panel discussion between all of the speakers, and a live Q&A session with whatever time remains.
“Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of where M247LC fits within modern manufacturing strategies, where binder jetting can serve as a viable alternative to investment casting, and how this technology is opening new possibilities for high-temperature production.”
From February 23-25, 2027, Additive Manufacturing Strategies will be back for its 10th iteration. The important AM industry business conference will once again return to New York City, though hopefully without the blizzard this time around. But, while we may not be able to predict the weather, we can tell you what’s on the agenda for AMS X.
Co-produced by Additive Manufacturing Research and 3DPrint.com, AMS has grown from a small summit focused solely on additive healthcare into an event centered on business, investment, and manufacturing economics. It started in Washington DC, moved to Boston, and went virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic, before settling in the Big Apple. AMS X will once again be held at the Museum of Jewish Heritage at 36 Battery Place, overlooking Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.
View from the AMS venue.
So, what’s on the agenda? AMS is well-known for its business focus, with many high-ranking executives and decision-makers from some of the industry’s biggest names in attendance over the years. You can see this thread throughout the 2027 event, with presentations on industry data and forecasts, AM workforce development, globalization, and more. Printing Money Live will be back at the end of Day 1, with panels on Capital Strategies for US Reindustrialization and M&A and Capital Markets. A session on AM Investment Strategies will close out Day 2.
Once again, the popular CEO Roundtable will be held at the end of the final day of AMS X. But what’s different this time around is that we’re splitting it into two panels! The first will feature VulcanForms CEO Kevin Kassekert; Sam O’Leary, CEO of Nikon SLM Solutions AG; and Joe Calmese, President and CEO of ADDMAN. The second will welcome Yoav Zeif, CEO of Stratasys; Marie Langer, CEO of EOS; and Materialise CEO Brigitte de Vet-Veithen.
Stratasys CEO Yoav Zeif at AMS 2026.
At AMS X, Zeif will once again give the main conference keynote, just as in several years past. Langer and Glynn Fletcher, Chief Customer Advocate (CCA) for the EOS Group and President of EOS North America, will present a keynote to open Day 2; later in the day, HP‘s SVP & GM of Additive Manufacturing Solutions Alex Monino will present a keynote. Arno Held, AM Ventures Managing Partner, will give a keynote to open the AM Investment Strategies session.
Speaking of AM Ventures, the German investment company is in charge of the opening networking reception, like it has been for the past few years. But just like with the CEO Roundtable, this reception is also being split into two, with one part at the end of Day 1 and a second part at the end of Day II. There will also be an evening mixer (location TBA) after the second part of the AM Ventures networking reception is over, and a farewell happy hour once the conference ends midday on Day 3.
For a long time, Beehive Industries was very mysterious. The secretive firm was burning a lot of cash working on something super secret with a tribe of very experienced Additive people. Led by Mohammad Ehteshami, who spent over 32 years at GE working on the GE90 and other engine programs, the company only fairly recently revealed what it is doing. The company got at least a $29 million SOSSEC consortium contract to make lots of 200- and 125-lpf pound engines, the Frenzy 8 and Frenzy 6.
Beehive is developing a family of engines to power drones, missiles, and other craft. Made with 3D printing, these compact, relatively affordable engines can become a key element in the surge underway as the US scales up 3D printing to produce drones and missiles. War in Iran has shown just how quickly the US can deplete its precision arsenal. And now the US wants to make much more of the things that matter. Hundreds of thousands of craft rather than 2500 of the best airplanes in the world.
And Beehive is filling this gap. Only a few weeks ago, the film announced the biggest public EOS order, for $50 million. This order was already huge, giving the company 30 M4 ONYX 3D printers. That order alone in one fell swoop makes them one of the largest capacity companies in North America. The company said that the order “more than doubles Beehive’s metal additive manufacturing capacity.” That would mean it has around 10 to 20 machines now, and with the order it will have over 50. But now the firm wants to do one better and order two NXG 600E as well. In addition to EOS’s evolution of the 400, it now wants one of the largest production systems also. This is significant. I, for one, will do my darnedest to obtain a Beehive Industries T-shirt or hat of some sort to get unlimited free snacks at trade shows. Beehive has said that it wants to make 8000 engines a year at one point. And of course, if we look at the public order, we can see that, in reality, the order is probably much larger than just the initial $29 million. Publicly, the company has raised over $3 million in funding, so there must be more money coming in somewhere.
Beehive Industries’ Frenzy engine. Image courtesy of Beehive Industries.
Additionally, the company has bought two local machine shops, Planet Products and Able Tool, to help them finish parts and perform CNC work. This, coupled with the Nikon order, means the Ohio-based company is scaling across the board. And being in Ohio is a great asset. There will be real political help there for the firm in Washington if it brings in orders and creates more jobs for the state. Manufacturing is important to Ohio, and the state has been a locus of lots of America Makes attention and love. Including rent, the cost of living in Ohio could be as much as 28% lower than in Los Angeles, and rent could be half as much. This could be an advantage in paying people more or having them live better for the same money. Sure, LA is cooler, but how many taco truck tacos equal an extra bedroom?
Beehive states that the NXG purchase is set to fund and calls it a “significant investment in NXG 600E systems.” The 600x600x1500mm systems are to be used for Ti6Al4V and Constellium’s Aheadd CP1. This is yet another very public win for CP1, the powder of champions. It’s insane how quickly everyone is becoming a total fan of this material. And how great, of course, that America Makes and Nikon were working on the materials dataset for this a year ago. This should get even more people to look at CP1 and how it is being used at scale.
The two printers will be used for “whole vehicle bodies, large substructures for satellites, and other large, 3D-printed components for space and A&D customers.” Does that mean that they want to make a hypersonic cruiser body out of CP1? Or are we talking spars and bodies made of Ti?
Darius Ehteshami, Chief Operations and Finance Officer at Beehive Industries, said,
“There is a heavy overlap between the customers who rely on Beehive’s propulsion solutions and those who require advanced aerospace printed solutions. By investing proactively in these machines, Beehive is uniquely positioned to provide aerostructures and parts that enable our customers to fly higher and fly faster. This is Beehive doubling down on our history of large format additive manufacturing, supporting our customers in both the A&D area and in space.”
Hamid Zarringhalam, CEO and General Manager of Nikon Advanced Manufacturing, said,
“Manufacturers supporting today’s defense programs require production technology that can scale quickly and reliably. Beehive Industries has built an impressive business around advanced propulsion and aerospace manufacturing, and we’re proud to support their continued growth with the NXG 600E platform.” He further commented, “Our companies are deeply committed to enabling and scaling the defense industrial base, and this represents a key step in delivering the advanced manufacturing capabilities that are crucial to the United States and our allied partners.”
Jonaaron Jones, President of Additive Parts Sales at Beehive Industries, stated,
“This investment marks the natural evolution of our company, seamlessly carrying our legacy of large-format expertise forward into the next generation of manufacturing for our external parts customers across the space, defense, and aerostructures sectors,”
It seems that Beehive is becoming more Sintavia-like once again and opening up more to orders from the industry as a whole. This, in addition to its engine programs, could help it scale more. I really like how Beehive seems to be scaling sensibly. Rocket engines are hard enough, and the firm is relying on multiple vendors to underpin its growth. By focusing on process control, design, and production, the company can scale in line with expectations and capabilities to capture a burgeoning defense market hungry for additive goods.
After spending 17 years helping build healthcare applications at 3D Systems and its predecessor Medical Modeling, Katie Weimer wasn’t planning to launch a startup. But when a regenerative breast tissue project she had worked on for years was in danger of being shelved, she decided to take a chance.
“It was just kind of going to go away, and I said, ‘I’ll take it,’” Weimer told 3DPrint.com. “I had been working on this regenerative breast tissue project since probably 2021. I believed in the mission and didn’t want to see it disappear. It needed focused money and attention, and I needed to move fast. Those things are really hard in a big company.”
That decision eventually became Genesis Tissue, a Colorado-based startup developing a 3D printed scaffold designed to help patients regenerate their own breast tissue after cancer surgery.
The mission is also personal. Weimer lost her mother to breast cancer, an experience that helped shape her interest in breast reconstruction and regenerative medicine. When the project faced an uncertain future, walking away wasn’t something she was willing to do.
Of course, the company is still several years away from commercialization, but its technology represents a different approach to reconstruction, one that wants to replace permanent implants with tissue generated by the patient’s own body.
Looking Beyond Silicone
For decades, silicone implants have been one of the primary options for breast reconstruction following cancer treatment. While they have helped countless patients, Weimer believes there is room for something better.
For decades, silicone implants have been the standard option for many breast reconstruction procedures and account for the majority of breast implants placed each year. In fact, they account for roughly 80-90% of breast implants used today. Genesis Tissue is not trying to replace them overnight. But Weimer believes there is room for something better, and that patients could benefit from a regenerative solution.
“There are hundreds of thousands of these implanted every year, and for breast reconstruction specifically, about one-third develop complications,” she said. “Tens of thousands are removed every year. They have a limited lifespan, they carry an FDA box warning, and they come with a warranty because they’re not meant to last forever. They’ve helped a lot of people, but we believe we can do better.”
Genesis Tissue’s 3D printed regenerative breast tissue scaffolds are designed in different sizes and shapes to match each patient’s anatomy and support tissue regeneration. Image courtesy of Genesis Tissue.
Genesis Tissue’s solution begins after a tumor is removed. A patient-specific scaffold is implanted into the breast and then filled with the patient’s own fat tissue, typically harvested through a small liposuction procedure. The fat contains cells and biological components that help support tissue growth. Over time, the scaffold slowly degrades while new tissue forms in its place.
“We use the body as the bioreactor,” Weimer explained. “We harvest the patient’s fat, which is incredibly rich in stem cells and other regenerative components, and inject it into the scaffold. As the scaffold gradually degrades, the tissue grows and stabilizes. The goal is that you’re ultimately left with the patient’s own healthy tissue instead of a permanent foreign implant.”
At the center of the technology is a soft material that provides structure as new tissue forms and then gradually breaks down as the body heals.
A Different Kind of Bioprinting Story
Weimer’s path into bioprinting began long before Genesis Tissue. A mechanical engineer by training, she spent much of her career helping advance 3D printed medical applications. Along the way, she became interested in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. That curiosity eventually led her to pursue a PhD in bioengineering at Colorado State University while still working in industry.
“I started working with all of these incredibly smart researchers, and they would start talking about cells and biology, and I realized how much I didn’t know. I thought I was going to take a class or two. But it turned into a PhD.”
Today, Genesis Tissue operates out of an incubator at Colorado State University’s Spur campus in Denver, giving the startup access to academic resources and collaborators as it continues development. The transition from corporate executive to startup founder, however, was not always easy.
“There was a point where I was sitting at home trying to negotiate the technology transfer and build the company, and I had no dollars, no job, and no insurance,” Weimer recalled. “Every founder has some version of that story. It’s scary. But now we have this incredible team, and everyone is completely committed to the mission.”
Moving Toward the Clinic
Genesis Tissue is currently in the preclinical phase of development and conducting large-animal studies. Like most implantable medical technologies, the product must still move through years of testing and regulatory review before reaching patients.
“It’s a long development pathway. You go through research and development, preclinical studies, clinical studies, and, hopefully, FDA approval. It’s difficult, expensive, and time-consuming. That’s one of the reasons people don’t pursue projects like this.”
Genesis Tissue’s regenerative breast tissue scaffold undergoes compression testing to evaluate its mechanical strength while maintaining the flexibility needed for soft tissue applications. Image courtesy of Genesis Tissue.
What’s more, Weimer told me funding remains one of the company’s biggest challenges: “The technical challenge is creating the next generation of biodegradable, implantable soft materials. The business challenge is raising enough money to get through preclinical and clinical development. That’s true for almost every company working in this space.”
Still, Weimer believes regenerative medicine is approaching a turning point. For years, bioprinting has often been linked to printing entire organs for implantation. Of course, those efforts are still ongoing, but she argues that many practical applications are much closer than most people realize.
“What people sometimes miss is that bioprinting is already happening,” she noted. “There is an enormous amount of research, a tremendous amount of investment, and real applications moving toward the clinic. We finally have the tools to create materials that behave more like the human body. That’s what makes this moment different.”
For Genesis Tissue, the immediate goal is breast reconstruction. But Weimer sees broader possibilities ahead, like pressure ulcers, traumatic injuries, cosmetic procedures, and other soft-tissue applications that could eventually benefit from the same platform technology.
At this stage, the company is fully focused on its first mission, which is helping women recover from breast cancer with a solution designed to regenerate what was lost rather than simply replace it.
“We’re not doing this to publish a paper; we’re trying to build something that helps people. That’s what keeps us focused every day,” concluded Weimer.
Mike Zimmerman started in research before starting his own startups. Now his firm makes a fiber with some very exciting properties indeed. The material has been turned into a very high-strength filament. We talk to Mike about the beginnings of his research, how he approaches invention, how he views entrepreneurship, and the prospects of his firm. One interesting element is that, although the material is very costly, Mike is targeting desktop material-extrusion systems for growth, a sign of a changing landscape.
This episode of the 3DPOD is brought to you by HeyGears, an innovation-driven 3D printing solution company devoted to taking digital manufacturing to the next level for individuals and businesses around the world. HeyGears’ extensive expertise and self-developed resin, 3D printing hardware, software, materials, and service platforms mean they can offer complete, easy-to-use, and reliable 3D printing workflows for all types of users, from beginners to advanced professionals looking to get things made. Learn more about them at HeyGears.com.
When Elegoo unveiled the world’s first officially licensed emoji®-themed 3D printer, it wasn’t just launching another version of an existing machine. The company was testing a much bigger idea by exploring whether a global brand like emoji® could make 3D printing feel more familiar to people who have never used it before.
“We think 3D printing has entered a stage where it’s really accessible to everyone,” Elegoo’s Ryan Wang, Senior PR Manager, told 3DPrint.com. “The barriers are much lower now, but many people still aren’t aware of the magic of the technology.”
He believes one reason is that most 3D printers still look and feel like technical equipment designed for enthusiasts: “The industry has been designing products with a very techy outlook. They can feel cold and not very personalized. We wanted to create something that feels culturally relevant and approachable, so people feel familiar with the printer instead of intimidated by it.”
“For Elegoo, the emoji® brand was a natural fit because nearly everyone already understands the language of emojis. They’re universally recognized icons that are part of everyday life,” Ryan said. “Sending an emoji® is easy and intuitive. We think 3D printing has become just as intuitive, so there was a shared foundation for this collaboration.”
Looking beyond makers
The collaboration is also part of a broader effort to reach people who have never considered buying a 3D printer. According to Wang, the launch attracted media outside the traditional maker and technology press, including lifestyle and parenting outlets.
To introduce the printer, Elegoo held a launch event in New York for media outside the traditional maker and technology press. According to Wang, many attendees had never used or even seen a 3D printer before.
“They got their hands on the printer and were really amazed,” Ryan said. “We want to reach people who have known about 3D printing for years but still aren’t sure if it’s for them. We’re here to tell them that they can do it. It’s just time to try it.”
While younger users are an important audience, Ryan said the goal isn’t limited to one generation. Elegoo already works with schools and regularly sees students adopting the technology quickly. He said young people are often the first to experiment with new tools, and the company has seen many stories of teenagers using 3D printing to create projects and even start small businesses.
More than making parts
“3D printing is becoming another way people express themselves. What you print can really represent what kind of person you are,” he noted. “If you like fixing things around your house, you’ll print functional parts. If you’re a comic fan, you’ll print figurines. If you’re into cars, you’ll print accessories to personalize your vehicle. Instead of viewing printers simply as machines, we see them becoming personal products that reflect their owners.”
That idea also extends beyond the hardware itself.
“I think the whole ecosystem is becoming more important than the hardware. We’re building platforms where creators can share their models and inspire other people to print. The community is becoming very important for the industry.”
Could more licensed printers follow? For now, Elegoo says it’s watching how customers respond before announcing additional partnerships.
“If people really embrace this product and it makes them want to buy a 3D printer, then we’ll think about the next IP,” Ryan said. “Maybe something from movies or games. That would be very cool.”
Although no future collaborations have been announced, he said the company believes it has opened a new direction for consumer 3D printing.
“We’re the first brand to collaborate with a globally known IP like this. This one is really something that tries to break down barriers to become a mainstream lifestyle product,” Ryan said. “We want to make printers more personalized instead of having them all look the same. I imagine a future where people customize their printers much like they customize smartphones, with different appearances, interfaces, and accessories.
ELEGOO × emoji® Centauri Carbon 2 Combo and 3D printed emojis. Image courtesy of ELEGOO.
A project years in the making
The emoji® printer may look like a lot of fun, but bringing it to market took time. Wang said the idea was first discussed more than two years before the product launched. Because the printer is based on Elegoo’s existing Centauri Carbon 2 Combo, a high-speed CoreXY machine capable of printing up to 500 mm/s, the company could focus on redesigning the experience instead of developing an entirely new machine from scratch. The special edition Elegoo x emoji® brand Centauri Carbon 2 Combo has an emoji-inspired exterior, a customized user interface, and access to officially licensed emoji® 3D models. It also includes an emoji-themed UI interface experience designed to make the printer feel more approachable for first-time users.
For Elegoo, though, the printer represents something much bigger than a “cosmetic redesign,” explains Wang.
“People need to feel comfortable with the technology before they’ll try it. The project may have started with emoji®, but it points toward a different future for consumer 3D printing.”
If licensed brands like emoji® can do that, the first emoji® printer could end up being remembered as much more than a novelty. It could be the beginning of a new way to introduce 3D printing to the mainstream.
In this weekend’s 3D Printing News Briefs, we’re starting with relief efforts for the earthquakes that hit Venezuela last month. Then we’ll move on to a new white paper from PostProcess Technologies, and a new strategic guide from ASTM International’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE). The LEGO Group opened its first dedicated manufacturing innovation center, which includes an AM center. We’ll end with a heartwarming story about Remote Area Medical, which provides 3D printed dentures to low-income patients.
Maker Community & Bambu Lab Supporting Venezuela Earthquake Relief
On June 24th, 2026, Venezuela was hit with what the U.S. Geological Survey called “the strongest seismic event” the country’s seen in over a century: twin earthquakes, magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5. More than 3,500 people have died, over 16,000 have been injured, and over 17,000 residents are now homeless. But, just like during the COVID-19 pandemic, the maker community is stepping up to offer their support, 3D printing medical aids, open-sourcing helpful designs, and coordinating cross-border deliveries. Venezuelan entrepreneurship initiative Ostec3D, which is focused on 3D printed orthoses, released a full set of thermoplastic splint files through a public Google Drive archive. Then, connecting through communities like Reddit, other people started printing things like splints, cervical collars, and oxygen cone connectors. Bambu Lab LATAM committed to $50,000 in cash support, and official Venezuelan Bambu distributor LayerLab donated 3D printers and 160 kilograms of filament to teams and workshops helping with the relief efforts.
As Bambu said, “If you do print, print with intention: only the items that the people coordinating relief have actually asked for and approved.” But, if you’re looking for other ways to help, Bambu is offering you a chance through its new community initiative. Starting this Monday, July 13th, at 8 am Venezuela time (UTC−4), the company is launching a 48-hour fundraising campaign. Available exclusively on the Bambu Lab US and EU online stores, customers can buy PLA Basic Refill filament in the three colors of the Venezuelan flag: yellow (10400), blue (10601), and red (10200). Enter the promo code 4Venezuela at checkout, and Bambu will donate an amount equal to each product’s MSRP, and not the discount price. Once the campaign closes on July 15th, the company will publish the total amount raised, 100% of which will be donated to UN Crisis Relief. Stay tuned to Bambu Lab’s official channels for the full campaign details, including eligibility and how donations are handled for cancellations or returned. Way to go, makers!
PostProcess Releases White Paper on AM Environment, Health, & Safety Concerns
Image courtesy of PostProcess Technologies
At RAPID+TCT in Boston earlier this year, I spoke with Jeff Mize, CEO of PostProcess Technologies, about several topics. One of the most important was safety, which he told me was “driving probably 50% of our conversations today.” At the time, the company was working on a new white paper examining the environmental, health, and safety (EH&S) considerations in AM post-processing. Now, PostProcess has officially published the white paper, titled “Environment, Health & Safety Concerns in the Post-Processing of Additively Manufactured Parts.” As more additive companies move towards production, EH&S considerations are becoming ever more important, especially as traditional post-processing methods can come with risks that negatively affect facilities, operators, workflow efficiency, and regulatory compliance. The white paper focuses on the safety risks associated with those conventional methods, like flammable solvents and open chemical tanks, as well as emerging industry trends (limiting use of IPA in AM facilities) and best practices.
“This white paper explores the EH&S challenges facing today’s additive manufacturers and examines how enclosed, automated systems and safer detergents from PostProcess Technologies can help reduce workplace risk, improve sustainability, and support more consistent post-processing operations.”
You can download the new PostProcess Technologies white paper for free here.
ASTM International AM CoE Publishes Guide for Certifying 3D Printed Defense Parts
The ASTM International Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE) recently published the “Strategic Guide to Certification of Additively Manufactured Parts in Defence Applications,” available to download for free. It offers support to defense organizations, suppliers, and manufacturers on qualifying and certifying 3D printed parts, giving them a criticality-based approach to parts qualification and certification over land, air, and sea. The guide, while also helping defense supply chains and allied partners around the globe, was actually developed to support the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) and its Project TAMPA, an AM accelerator that determined one of the central barriers to scaling AM for defense applications was actually inconsistent part certification. Rather than a regulation or standard, the guide is a “signposting resource,” written to be both nation- and technology-agnostic. It lays out a four-tier part classification, two certification courses of action, evidence expectations across main certification activities, and more.
“Additive manufacturing earns a place in defense only when a part can be trusted in service, and that trust depends on qualification and certification that hold up consistently across organizations, domains, and borders. This guide gives manufacturers and authorities across the global defense community a shared, criticality-based reference point,” said Mohsen Seifi, Ph.D., ASTM International’s vice president of global advanced manufacturing.
The LEGO Group Opens Dedicated Manufacturing Innovation Campus
Founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932, the LEGO Group is one of the biggest names out there using 3D printing for consumer goods. Recently, it opened its first dedicated global manufacturing innovation center, the Kornmarken Campus. Just like its headquarters, the campus, partially powered by a nearby solar park, is located in Billund, and it’s part of the company’s investment in manufacturing technologies, as well as capabilities that drive product development and production. The 47,000 m² campus forms a 100,000 m² state-of-the-art facility, where about 1,800 LEGO employees from manufacturing, engineering, and quality will work to develop, test, and scale manufacturing technologies, and continue producing the iconic LEGO bricks. Features include a 25-tonne 2×4 LEGO brick installation, rainwater management, and energy-efficient systems. The key facilities at Kornmarken Campus include a materials lab, mold manufacturing space, training academy, test and innovation center, and, of course, an additive manufacturing center.
“The LEGO Group has among the most talented engineers and craftspeople in the world,” said Carsten Rasmussen, Chief Operations Officer for the LEGO Group. “This facility will provide them with the necessary tools and technologies to expand what’s possible for product development and production, both now and in the future.”
RAM Uses 3D Printed Dentures to Give Smiles to Low-Income Patients
Image: Remote Area Medical via Facebook
About 72 million adults in the U.S. do not have dental insurance. These are the people that nonprofit organization Remote Area Medical (RAM) helps with its volunteer-powered, mobile care units. In 2023, Connor Gibson was an engineering student at Walter State Community College in Morristown, Tennessee, near RAM’s headquarters. Inspired by its mission to help the poor, he began volunteering with RAM, which also offers free vision and medical care to low-income people. The 22-year-old is now the nonprofit’s dental technology manager, using his engineering skills to 3D print dentures for the most vulnerable people in the country. Initially, he had no dental or 3D printing skills, but taught himself everything he needed to know, and eventually came up with RAM’s Mobile Digital Denture Lab, which enables the nonprofit to fit patients with free 3D printed dentures the same weekend they come in. Gibson used grants to secure the first 3D printers for RAM, and recently set a personal record of 35 dentures printed in a weekend. Since he began, he’s fitted thousands of people with dentures, both traditionally and additively manufactured, and he says their reactions to their new smiles humble him.
“Something that I was able to have a hand in makes a grown man burst into tears. To see that raw, human emotion and just know that I played a change in this person’s life…it’s very humbling, and I’m beyond blessed,” Gibson told CNN.
“You have people that are really down on their luck. The reality is we’re all one slip or one fall away from needing two teeth in the front…just to be able to smile again.”
Kentstrapper makes Material Extrusion systems in Italy. Now the firm has released the 1,000 × 1,000 × 1,000 mm build volume Mille system. The one-cubic-meter build volume is actively heated by six independent pads across the build floor. You can slide out the print bed to remove parts. The build chamber temperature can reach 60°C while the bed can be heated to 120°C. The Magnetic Extrusion System means that you can swap toolheads quickly without any tools at all. Layer height is 0.1 to 1.2 mm, and nozzle sizes are from 0.4 to 1.4 mm. The printer has two Mantis extruders, and if one is blocked, the other can take over. The printer has been tested with PLA, PETG, ASA, ASA-CF, ABS, TPU, PA GF, PA CF, and PPS CF materials. The company sure has come a long way since we covered their plywood Galileo system in 2014.
The printer has a remote monitoring tool and protected remote access. Rather uniquely, the printer has a Telegram bot which sends you notifications and updates. There’s also an AI assistant called Clara. This bot has been trained on maintenance and support tickets handled by the firm. You can query it to solve issues, or it can notify you if it spots something unusual. The firmware is Klipper, slicing is via OrcaSlicer, and the firm is targeting tooling, automotive, defense, and marine with the Mille printer.
The price for the made-in-Italy machine is a very reasonable-sounding €40,000 (ex-VAT). In business for over 10 years, the company has sold over 2,500 systems. Kentstrapper is known as a good-value machine builder. The Florence-based firm makes five distinct Material Extrusion systems. One is meant for tall objects, and there’s also a 700×500×500 mm system; everything seems well made. What’s more, the features that these systems have are all very useful ones. It’s just the kind of no-nonsense stuff that you’d like to have if you just want to print.
Good monitoring and easy model extraction are important for very large parts. The automatic nozzle changeover feature seems like a great idea. Multi-day or overnight prints could really benefit if the printer could resolve a clog while you sleep. At the same time, a lot of desktop systems are great until you have to do maintenance. Nozzle exchanges or toolhead changes on a Bambu, for example, are often needlessly complicated and time-intensive. By making it a tool-less, super-quick process, this printer respects the operator’s time. If you have a farm with 500 P2Ss, you can just switch to another one and repair it later at your leisure. But, with bigger systems you won’t have so many. And even if you had a few of them, typically you’d have them loaded up with different materials. I’m always going to be skeptical of AI tools, but the things they’re trying to do here seem useful.
One major use case for this printer and much larger units, such as the Caracol robotic arm polymer printers, is marine. Marine furniture is often low-volume, with clients doing a lot of custom design or being able to choose from different layouts. Things like cabinets, tables, recesses, storage units, and more can be printed and upholstered, doing duty in the boats. All sorts of housing products for electronics, storage, and more can be printed too. In automotive, rail, and defense, large tooling is often very expensive when using CNC and other processes. Companies have used 3D printers sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars to make these, often gluing parts together. For a lot of these applications, you can now make the entire tool on this affordable printer in one go. Some of these tools will typically cost more than the printer. For the hand lay-up and carbon fiber industry, large tools are also often used, and this machine may be useful there too.
I really hope that you can physically unplug all of that AI and networking stuff because that will help the adoption of this system in aerospace and defense. In medium-format, we’re seeing real competition in pricing. Slow, inaccurate systems are still being sold on the low end, and big, expensive tools are also being sold. For a lot of things, the really expensive stuff is what you need. But, there is a new segment emerging. This segment avoids the long post-processing and machining that you would need to do on parts made by much larger printers. For some tools, these systems can make them straight out of the machine. And the new systems tend to be faster than cheap laggards on the low end. This is leading to a lot of competition around the 1 cubic meter build volume level.
We’re now, as a market, delivering a lot of value there. For large tools, ROI can be realized in a number of months. The machine can simply chug along, delivering on value and parts while you do something else. With higher speeds, lower machine costs, and smoother parts, these tooling printers are starting to permeate more industrial and manufacturing sites. They’re an excellent choice, and we should see growth from this segment and companies such as Kentstrapper.
