My Printer

  • ExOne Bets on Smaller Foundries with the S-Print Pro

    ExOne has released the S-Print Pro, a more affordable-than-usual compact system for foundries. The company hopes that this will make its system more accessible to new customers and to customers such as print services and pattern job shops. Compact, of course, in the context of this being an industrial binder jet solution. Installation space is still 12 m², and it’s built on the S-Max system.

    Build volume is 1,200 × 750 × 500 mm, layer thickness is 0.10–1.00 mm, and the printer can print one build per shift (approximately 8 hours). The machine has a furan binder with silica sand, CeraBeads, or silicon carbide; it has a 400 dpi resolution and weighs 4,000 kg while measuring 5,250 × 2,255 × 3,100 mm. So compact is relative to the usual behemoths in this class of system. CeraBeads are spherical beads made out of an aluminum silicate called Mullite. Back in 2020, ExOne announced that it would optimize its systems to work with these beads, made by Itochu. Cerabeads are said to reduce, in some cases, damage to sand casts during transport and storage while improving the surface roughness and overall smoothness of the final parts.

    Eric Bader, the CEO of ExOne Global Holdings, said,

    “The S-Print Pro is the product foundries have been asking us for: quality industrial sand printing in a system that’s affordable to acquire, install, and run. Since the ExOne and voxeljet merger, our teams have been focused on combining the best engineering, application knowledge, and customer insight to solve this real production challenge. This launch reflects that work — and our commitment to making industrial binder jetting more accessible to foundries worldwide.”

    The S-Print Pro. Image courtesy of ExOne.

    And Aldo Randazzo, Director of Application Management at ExOne, stated,

    “Most of the world’s foundries are small operations, many with fewer than 100 employees. They are the backbone of the manufacturing industry, yet industrial binder jetting has rarely been built for their scale or budget. We aim to close that gap with the new S-Print Pro.”

    The S-Print Pro buildplate and printhead. Image courtesy of ExOne.

    The printer uses the user-replaceable CoreBoost printhead and StepX surface smoothing, which should reduce stair-stepping and enable printing of more geometries. The company says that maintenance overall has been optimized to be simple and easy.

    This seems like a sensible move by ExOne; the company has to show stability, progress, and a focus on the long term. A lot of foundry operators are conservative and traditional, working with thousand-year-old processes. They’re unlikely to be swayed by gadgets and fly-by-night things. Showing a focus on the long term is important to them. A lot of the stuff they have usually lasts a long time. These players have traditionally been difficult to sway with 3D printing. So a more entry-level production machine lowers their risk and may shorten sales cycles while making them more likely to adopt the technology. True lab machines don’t really get used a lot in foundries since their parts are often bigger than the build volume. They also often lack productivity features, so they can’t really give them a true idea of what the technology can do. By having a reasonably easy-to-operate and implement machine, ExOne can give these firms a chance to try something out in actual production.

    This may let them build trust and also show that you’re thinking about the long term. So, generally, this is a good move toward building the firm’s future and the future of their relationship with foundries. Across the US, interest is growing in retooling, investing in, and expanding foundries. There are real opportunities in defense and beyond to tap into long lead times for parts. People have yet to collectively figure out how best to benefit from this backlog, but the money is now circulating among the opportunities. This system could be an excellent way for ExOne to benefit from this development.

  • ADDiTEC Demonstrates Material Freedom and Mission Readiness at JIFX 2026 with HYBRiD-X

    At the Naval Postgraduate School‘s Joint Interagency Field Experimentation (JIFX) in May, ADDiTEC demonstrated how advanced manufacturing can support the future of defense sustainment through its HYBRiD-X expeditionary manufacturing platform. JIFX is a quarterly collaborative event where innovators can safely test prototypes at Camp Roberts alongside military warfighters and government stakeholders, and offers a free opportunity to de-risk new technology ahead of major events such as RIMPAC.

    As part of a distributed manufacturing experiment supported by CAMRE and FLEETWERX, HYBRiD-X successfully processed multiple engineering alloys—including aluminum, stainless steel, and nickel-aluminum bronze—within a single deployable system. The demonstration highlighted a key advantage of the platform: Material Freedom. Rather than being limited to a single manufacturing process or material family, HYBRiD-X enables users to manufacture and repair a broad range of metal components using the material best suited for the mission.

    HYBRiD-X combines Liquid Metal Jetting (LMJ), Laser Directed Energy Deposition (LDED), and CNC machining within a compact containerized platform. This unique combination allows operators to produce, repair, and finish metal components using a single system while significantly reducing equipment footprint.

    The demonstration also showcased how Material Freedom directly contributes to Mission Readiness. In maritime and expeditionary environments, where space is limited and operational requirements can change rapidly, the ability to manufacture and repair components from multiple materials using a single deployable platform provides a significant logistical advantage. Instead of relying on multiple manufacturing systems or extended supply chains, operators can produce mission-critical components closer to the point of need.

    “For the expeditionary environments we are operating in, we need to manufacture flexibly. Since we do not know what part will be requested, we must account for this by providing systems that are multi-material compatible as well as multi-process capable, such as CNC additive and subtractive technologies,” said Chris Curran, CAMRE Program Manager.

    As the U.S. Department of Defense continues to advance distributed manufacturing initiatives through organizations such as FLEETWERX, the Naval Postgraduate School, and CAMRE, technologies that deliver both material flexibility and mission-ready manufacturing capabilities are expected to play an increasingly important role in supporting the warfighter.

    For ADDiTEC, the JIFX demonstration represents another step toward the future of expeditionary manufacturing—bringing production, repair, and sustainment capabilities closer to where they are needed most. The HYBRiD-X platform is believed to be the world’s first deployable manufacturing system to combine Liquid Metal Jetting, Laser Directed Energy Deposition, and CNC machining within a single containerized solution.

  • 3D Printing in Drones Could Reach $900 Million by 2034, AM Research Report Says

    For years, additive manufacturing has searched for applications where its advantages clearly outweigh the limits of traditional production methods. Now, according to a new report from Additive Manufacturing Research (AM Research), unmanned aerial systems (UAS) may be emerging as one of the industry’s most important opportunities.

    AM Research’s latest study, Additive Manufacturing Opportunities in Unmanned Aerial Systems 2026: Drones Market Analysis and Forecast, is the firm’s flagship report on the drone market. It estimates that the market for additive manufacturing in drones reached approximately $140 million in 2025 and could grow to nearly $900 million by 2034. The report examines the use of 3D printing across drone hardware, materials, and services, while tracking adoption by application, geography, and vendor.

    Drones have become one of the most important markets for additive manufacturing. Over the last several years, demand has grown across defense, public safety, agriculture, logistics, and infrastructure inspection. At the same time, 3D printing has become a way to make many of the parts used in these aircraft.

    In fact, drones are no longer just a prototyping market for 3D printing. According to the report, they have become the largest production application for low-cost 3D printers worldwide. More drone companies are turning to 3D printing not just for development work, but for manufacturing as well.

    One reason is economics. Many drones need to be produced quickly and affordably, making polymer-based 3D printing a natural fit. At the same time, the report states that metal additive manufacturing is beginning to gain traction for larger aircraft, particularly in propulsion systems and structural components with greater payload requirements.

    Defense is another big reason the market is growing. Military drones are now being produced in much larger numbers than they were just a few years ago, and governments around the world are investing heavily in both drone and counter-drone technologies. As demand rises, manufacturers are looking for ways to build and update systems more quickly, creating new opportunities for 3D printing.

    The report looks at companies from across both the drone and additive manufacturing industries. The list ranges from major drone manufacturers such as DJI, Skydio, General Atomics, and Quantum Systems to 3D printing companies including EOS, Stratasys, HP, Markforged, and Nikon SLM Solutions. According to AM Research, the market now has a mix of established aerospace firms, manufacturing suppliers, and startups developing new drone technologies.

    For AM Research, the report is the latest effort to track one of the fastest-growing applications. Authored by Scott Dunham, the study draws on more than a decade of market data and examines how 3D printing is being adopted across the drone industry, from small commercial platforms to larger defense systems.

    UAS report. Image courtesy of AM Research.

    UAS Additive Strategies Webinar

    AM Research will take a closer look at the trend during UAS Additive Strategies, a live webinar scheduled for June 30 at 11:00 a.m. ET. Drawing on data from the new report, the event will explore the companies, technologies, and trends shaping the future of additive manufacturing in drones.

    Speakers include Dunham, EOS‘s David Krzeminski, HP‘s Emily Levin, Stratasys‘ Conrad Smith, Firestorm Labs‘ Ian Muceus, General Atomics‘ Steve Fournier, Prusa Research CEO Josef Prusa, and other industry leaders, who will talk about market forecasts, new applications, and the opportunities ahead for 3D printing in the drone sector.

    Readers interested in learning more can register for the webinar at UASAdditiveStrategies.com. Also, additional information about the report, including a free sample, is available on the AM Research report page.

    UAS Additive Strategies 2026

    Could drones become 3D printing’s breakout application of the decade? Few sectors have embraced additive manufacturing as quickly as drones. From small commercial aircraft to military systems, 3D printing is becoming a very important part of how they are built.

  • Q5D and Molrix To Supply US Army With Harness Robots

    Q5D Technologies and Molrix will offer their advanced harness production manufacturing units to the US Army. One production cell will be used for the SkyFoundry project, while two further systems will be deployed to the US Army Materiel Command’s Tobyhanna Army Depot under a 20-month agreement. At the depot, they will be used for the maintenance and repair of existing goods.

    SkyFoundry is one of the Army’s efforts to accelerate the adoption of additively manufactured and autonomous UAS across the military. Many units are now not working on qualifying and selecting but rather on scaling production. This indicates a fundamental shift in which the US military itself is looking to scale up its own production. I suspect that they will learn a lot in the coming years about actually producing drones at scale under austere conditions. And I think that this will be a very valuable set of lessons.

    A Q5D automated wire harness manufacturing cell. The company’s robotic systems are designed to reduce wiring bottlenecks in drone production and defense manufacturing applications. Image courtesy of Q5D.

    Imagine just the prosaic things like filament drying and material management. One other prosaic thing is wire harnesses. These Christmas trees of wiring look decidedly low tech. And traditionally, people have made them further and further from where vehicles are being made. But, in the Ukraine war, for example, a few large truck firms had issues building trucks because this one seemingly simple thing, harnesses, were not being made. Q5D has developed a cell-based robot that can print traces and polymers and assemble these harnesses. If we are to 3D print drones at scale, a lot of these drones will have traces, wire harnesses, and boards that need some assembly.

    By automating this, the company could achieve more efficient production of these harnesses. You don’t want one soldier overseas to have to spend full time stringing together harnesses. I’ve done this work, by the way, when assembling printers, and it’s either mind-numbingly boring or kind of tactile zen, like pottery, depending on your mindset. But, either way, if you need to make 10,000 drones, which is what SkyFoundry wants to do, a simple manual operation can be a show stopper. Q5D can also print circuits, so that this functionality will become more prevalent in the future. Now, the company already wants to print and conformally mount the harnesses.

    Q5D Technology CEO Stephen Bennington noted,

    Stephen Bennington, CEO of Q5D. Image courtesy of Q5D.

    “Modern defence increasingly depends on the ability to manufacture, repair and adapt systems quickly. Our systems are designed to help reduce manufacturing bottlenecks, improve repair turnaround times and support more scalable sustainment capability across rapidly evolving production environments.”

    Q5D secured the contract through Molrix, a US-based engineering firm and integrator that resells and supports Q5D in the US.

    Van Sullivan, Molrix’s owner, stated,

    “Our partnership with Q5D brings advanced wire harness automation directly into U.S. Army production and depot environments. Molrix will provide on-the-ground installation, integration and operational support to help deploy these systems quickly and effectively across Army manufacturing and sustainment operations.”

    General Edward Daly, former Commanding General of the US Army Materiel Command, stated,

    “Defence readiness is no longer just about stockpiling equipment; it also depends on having the manufacturing capability to sustain and modernise systems as operational demands evolve. Advanced manufacturing and tactical-edge production are becoming central to military readiness and operational agility.”

    Q5D’s robotic wire harness manufacturing platform automates the production and installation of wiring systems for aerospace, automotive, and defense applications. Image courtesy of Q5D.

    This seems like a very valuable activity. If the US military is to make tens of thousands of vehicles, then manufacturing efficiency, manual labor reduction, and automation will be a real need. Things like post-processing, resurfacing, tapping, and fastening will be key areas to reduce. Maybe you don’t mind having an employee who conveys things all day or makes harnesses. In an overseas base, such a person would be super expensive. Q5D is working on something really crucial and boring here and automating it. And automating boring things is exactly what robots are good at. At the same time, Molrix seems crucial here, too. They understand the landscape, know many of the key people involved, and know how to work with the government. Having partners such as Molrix is key to selling in the US if you’re a foreign firm today.

    The intersection of additive manufacturing and drone production will be one of the topics discussed at the Additive Manufacturing Strategies UAS: The Present and Future of Drone Manufacturing event on June 30, 2026.

  • AMPulse Asia: Major Funding Rounds Lead APAC 3D Printing Market Roundup

    The first half of June saw additive manufacturing activity across China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, and Australia. Here are 15 developments worth watching, from TDK’s planned acquisition of Fabric8Labs to advances in healthcare, aerospace, construction, and consumer 3D printing.

    China

    Creality raises HK$1.272B in Hong Kong IPO, first consumer 3D printing firm to list on HKEX

    Creality (创想三维) listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (ticker 3388) on May 29, 2026, becoming the first consumer 3D printing company to list there. The company issued 73,427,550 H-shares and raised approximately HK$1.272 billion in net proceeds. The offering was 3,829 times oversubscribed, and the shares opened at HK$33.88, about 80% above the IPO price.

    Creality’s IPO. Image courtesy of Creality via LinkedIn.

    Anycubic’s parent, Zongwei Liju, closes a Series B round of hundreds of millions of yuan

    Shenzhen-based Zongwei Liju (纵维立方), the company behind the consumer 3D printing brand Anycubic, closed a Series B round worth hundreds of millions of yuan, co-led by Guotai Junan Capital, Dachen, Challenger Capital, and South Korea’s Mirae Asset Group. The company said the capital will fund R&D and market expansion across its FDM and resin product lines. Separately, it launched the P1 MAX, a large-format resin printer with an 18.3-liter build volume, with sales beginning June 15, 2026.

    Yuding Additive Manufacturing completes IPO tutoring, advancing toward a STAR Market listing

    Yuding Additive Manufacturing Research Institute, a Beijing-based metal AM company founded by academician Wang Huaming and Beihang University, completed its four-phase IPO tutoring with Guoxin Securities (April 2025 to June 2026) and is now positioned to file for a listing on Shanghai’s STAR Market. It has raised capital across a Series A (about RMB 250 million at a RMB 1 billion post-money valuation), a Series B led by the Xiong’an New Area government platform (RMB 3.3 billion post-money), and a December 2025 pre-IPO round. Its metal AM work targets aerospace and defense applications.

    BMF develops ultra-thin 3D-printed dental veneers using micro-stereolithography

    Boston Micro Fabrication (BMF, 摩方精密) is developing ultra-thin 3D-printed dental veneers using its high-resolution projection micro-stereolithography process, integrating equipment, materials, process, and end-product manufacturing in-house. The company frames the veneers as a less-invasive alternative to conventional porcelain veneers.

    UnionTech secures a 120-machine bulk order and expands into metal 3D printing

    Shanghai UnionTech (联泰科技) secured two bulk orders totaling 120 systems: 100 SLA machines for service bureau Dongguan Fohan and 20 metal LPBF printers for Dongguan Huanya. UnionTech is also investing RMB 150 million in a dedicated metal 3D printing facility in Jinjiang, with mold maker Anyuan Molds as its first strategic partner.

    AI-to-3D software developer Tripo raises nearly US$200M

    Tripo, an AI text-to-3D and image-to-3D software developer (parent company VAST), raised nearly US$200 million in a round co-led by INCE Capital and a China Life-backed fund, following a US$50 million round led by Alibaba in March 2026; its reported valuation is around US$1 billion. Tripo also released the new-generation models Tripo H3.1 and Tripo P1.0, 8 K texture support, and a part-segmentation tool that automatically splits AI-generated models for 3D printing. Tripo makes software only, not printers.

    Japan

    TDK to acquire US metal AM startup Fabric8Labs for up to US$400M

    Japan’s TDK Corporation agreed to acquire San Diego-based metal AM startup Fabric8Labs in a deal valued at up to US$400 million. Fabric8Labs’ proprietary electrochemical additive manufacturing (ECAM) process deposits high-purity copper and other metals at room temperature, without the heat or vacuum of laser-based systems. TDK said the technology targets thermal management and power electronics components for AI data centers.

    UCSD Array. Image courtesy of Fabric8Labs.

    Serendix moves its 3D-printed construction business from R&D to mass production

    Serendix (セレンディクス), the Hyogo-based 3D printed housing maker, announced on June 15, 2026, that its 3D printed construction business has moved from R&D to mass production. The company delivered Japan’s first 3D printed home, “serendix10,” in 2022, and completed a 3D printed station building at Hatsushima Station on the JR Kisei Main Line with JR West in March 2025. It expects roughly 38 orders by the end of July 2026 and targets over 100 buildings within one to two years and more than 1,000 buildings a year within five years.

    A 20-metric-ton reinformed concrete frame. Image courtesy of Serendix.

    South Korea

    SeAH SST unveils 625XP, 718XP, and NiX XP superalloy powders for AM

    SeAH Superalloy Technologies (SST), a US-based subsidiary of South Korea’s SeAH Besteel Holdings, unveiled three nickel-based superalloy powders for additive manufacturing: 625XP, 718XP, and NiX XP. The company is targeting commercial production in the second half of 2026 at its Temple, Texas, plant, which is designed for 6,000 tonnes of annual superalloy capacity, and has signed an exclusive European distribution partnership with Remelt Sources.

    SeAH Wonju Plant in South Korea. Image courtesy of SeAH.

    Rokit Healthcare to begin human clinical surgery for kidney regeneration in July

    Rokit Healthcare (로킷헬스케어) announced on June 12, 2026, at the Korean Society of Nephrology conference, that it has received approval for an advanced regenerative medicine clinical trial and will begin human clinical trials in July 2026 for kidney regeneration. The procedure combines an AI-driven 3D bioprinting platform with robotic surgery to create an autologous omentum-derived cell patch, with the initial phase focused on safety evaluation. The company plans to seek approval for advanced regenerative medicine therapy in the fourth quarter of 2026.

    Rokit’s 4D bioprinting technology INVIVO. Image courtesy of Rokit Healthcare.

    Taiwan

    GIGABYTE unveils a metal 3D-printed motherboard prototype at Computex 2026

    GIGABYTE (技嘉科技) unveiled the X870E Aorus Infinity Next, described as the world’s first metal 3D printed motherboard prototype, at Computex 2026 in Taipei. The board uses an AI-optimized gyroid lattice structure for its chipset heatsink and M.2 cooler, which GIGABYTE says increases the cooling surface area by 44%, along with a 3D printed metal vapor-chamber cooling system. GIGABYTE presented it as a technology demonstrator and has not announced pricing or a release date.

    GIGABYTE Celebrates 40 Years of Milestones at COMPUTEX 2026 with Awards. Image courtesy of GIGABYTE.

    Hong Kong

    Peopoly launches the GIGA 800 large-format pellet 3D printer at US$15,000

    Hong Kong-based Peopoly launched the GIGA 800, a large-format pellet-extrusion (FGF) 3D printer priced at US$15,000 (EXW) with an 800 x 800 x 800 mm build volume. It uses a dual-zone screw extruder rated for 3 kg/hour and 400°C, runs open-source Klipper firmware with pre-configured Orca Slicer profiles, and is aimed at industrial tooling, composite molds, and large fixtures.

    Peopoly launched the GIGA 800. Image courtesy of Peopoly.

    India

    Agnikul Cosmos validates multi-engine clustering for its 3D-printed rocket engines

    Chennai-based space startup Agnikul Cosmos validated multi-engine clustering for its single-piece 3D printed Agnilet engines, synchronizing four engines with eight electric pumps and independent control algorithms during a static-fire test. The modular architecture is configurable from four to seven engines for mission-specific small-satellite launches. The company is targeting a maiden orbital flight by late 2026.

    Australia

    Hyperion Systems unveils ASTRA 460, the Southern Hemisphere’s first 3D-printed USV

    Hyperion Systems, working with marine architect Versatile Marine and autonomy provider Greenroom Robotics, unveiled the ASTRA 460, described as the Southern Hemisphere’s first 3D-printed uncrewed surface vessel (USV). The 4.6-meter hull will be produced in Henderson, Western Australia, using large-format additive manufacturing with recycled polymer, printed in about 40 hours, compared with four to six weeks for traditional methods. CEO Joshua Wigley said the company is provisioning for 10 units per month initially, with the capacity to scale to over 100.

    Luyten 3D launches ASCEND A27, a tower crane-mounted concrete 3D printer for structures up to 100m

    Australian construction-technology company Luyten 3D launched the ASCEND A27, the world’s first tower crane-mounted concrete 3D printer. The system has a 45-meter working radius, a 100-meter supported build height, and a 4.0-tonne crane load capacity, and can be erected in one to two days. It uses Luyten’s proprietary Ultimatecrete mix with AI-driven print-path generation, targeting high-rise residential, commercial, and infrastructure construction.

    Prepared by AMPulse

  • Phase3D’s In-Situ Monitoring Lands $2.9M in Oversubscribed Round

    The use of metal additive manufacturing (AM) for production at scale appears to be steadily increasing, as evidenced by recent announcements like EOS’s sale of 30 M4 ONYX systems to Beehive Industries. Beyond the near-term potential for added production capacity by experienced users like Beehive, the pace of this scale-up will depend on how quickly new users can effectively implement metal AM into their workflows.

    That, in turn, will depend on the trajectory of a combination of other factors, some of which are workforce development, qualification of materials, and quality control. Phase3D, maker of the AM in-situ monitoring (ISM) device Fringe Inspection and provider of its associated software programs, has a solution that can help the AM industry address all three of those needs.

    The Chicago-based startup just closed an oversubscribed, $2.9 million funding round, led by Quest Venture Partners of Palo Alto. Phase3D plans to use the funds to speed up its path to scaling Fringe Inspection, which uses structured light to identify potential failures as they emerge.

    Phase3D’s Fringe Inspection system projects structured light onto a build surface to measure geometry and detect deviations during printing.

    Fringe Inspection’s viability for widespread adoption is enhanced by the fact that it plugs directly into the printer and works with most industrial-scale metal machines, including PBF, MBJ, and cold spray. Additionally, Phase3D’s work with US military branches, including the US Air Force and the US Navy, as well as NASA, means it has been qualified for the same processes driving the current phase of the metal AM scale-up.

    In a press release about Phase3D’s oversubscribed, $2.9 million funding round, the founder and CEO of Phase3D, Niall O’Dowd, said, “We are excited to announce Phase3D’s completion of a pivotal funding round. We have raised capital to support the continued growth and increasing deployments of our flagship quality inspection product for metal 3D printing. This investment will catalyze faster adoption of real-time quality inspection for [AM], and we are very excited for the future.”

    Ray Farrell, incoming board member for Phase3D, said, “When the Phase3D opportunity came up, what stood out was the early customer traction. It’s special to have aerospace and automotive prime customers while simultaneously addressing top-level initiatives from the Air Force, Navy, and NASA.”

    It’s self-explanatory how Fringe Inspection can help the AM industry with quality control, and enhanced quality control helps with materials qualification by improving the repeatability and reliability of a given manufacturing process. So how can it help with workforce development?

    It’s expensive to train and staff workers in quality control processes, and when those processes move slowly, it becomes more difficult to deliver the parts that generate revenue to justify the expenses, including workforce development. That contributes to limiting industry investment, which, in turn, slows workforce development.

    On the other hand, if a standardized device makes quality control both easier and cheaper, it also makes it easier and cheaper to train the workers needed for that part of the manufacturing process. Also, the fewer workers needed for the quality control stage, the more workers that can be trained to operate the printers themselves, which is the biggest personnel bottleneck for the AM industry.

    None of this is to suggest that Fringe Inspection or improved quality control is a magic bullet: the point is that as AM continues to mature, its scaling trajectory will be more and more determined by technologies currently seen as peripheral to the printing process. But many of those technologies will prove to have been ‘peripheral’ solely at lower levels of adoption.

    Images courtesy of Phase3D

  • NASA Selects Relativity Space for Mars Science Mission

    NASA has selected Relativity Space as its commercial partner for a new Mars science mission scheduled for launch in 2028, giving another boost to one of the most well-known additive manufacturing (AM) companies in the space industry.

    As part of the agreement, NASA will provide the Aeolus payload, a suite of atmospheric science instruments designed to study the Martian atmosphere. Relativity Space will supply the spacecraft, launch vehicle, and mission operations needed to deliver the instruments to Mars.

    NASA says the mission will help scientists better understand Martian winds, temperatures, dust, and clouds. The data is expected to support future robotic and human missions by improving knowledge of the conditions spacecraft will encounter when entering and landing on the planet.

    “Public-private partnerships like this are a force multiplier for science,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement. “By pairing NASA’s world-class instruments with commercial innovation and investment, we can deliver more science, more often, and reduce the time it takes to get essential data into the hands of researchers preparing for future human missions to Mars.”

    Aeolus will carry four instruments developed by NASA to track atmospheric conditions across Mars. NASA Ames Research Center will oversee payload development and integration, while Relativity will handle the spacecraft and operate the mission.

    The mission is designed to fill a major knowledge gap for future Mars exploration. By tracking winds, dust, clouds, and temperatures across the planet on a daily basis, Aeolus will help scientists improve models used for spacecraft entry, descent, and landing. NASA says the data could play an important role in reducing risks for future robotic missions and, eventually, human landings.

    The project is being carried out under a six-year Space Act Agreement between NASA and Relativity, providing a framework for long-term development and mission support.

    Relativity Space’s Terran 1 launches from Florida. Image courtesy of Relativity Space.

    For the AM industry, the announcement is truly amazing because Relativity Space has built its reputation around large-scale metal 3D printing. The company developed its own Stargate AM system and has long argued that rockets can be produced faster and with fewer parts using 3D printing.

    However, the company has been through a few ups and downs in recent years. Its Terran 1 rocket made headlines in 2023 as the first largely 3D printed rocket to reach space, but this was not a successful launch because the spacecraft had a problem with its second stage and failed to reach orbit during its only launch attempt. Relativity later retired the program and shifted its focus to Terran R, a much larger reusable rocket that remains under development. Of course, it was disappointing to see the rocket fail on that attempt. However, it was still considered an important milestone for both the company and the 3D printing industry. As Jeff Bezos once said, “Failure and invention are inseparable twins.”

    Since then, Relativity has continued developing Terran R while expanding partnerships across the space sector. NASA’s decision to rely on the company for a Mars mission represents a significant vote of confidence as Relativity works toward its next phase of growth.

    Aeolus is currently scheduled to launch in 2028 and will operate for at least one Martian year, collecting atmospheric data that NASA says will help support future exploration of the Red Planet. The mission is expected to fly aboard Relativity’s Terran R rocket, which continues to incorporate many of the large-scale 3D printing technologies that helped make the company one of the best-known names in additive manufacturing.

  • SPEE3D’s Steven Camilleri Proposes a National Resilience Test for Australia

    In 1947, that fun-loving bunch, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, unveiled a concept called the Doomsday Clock, an attempt to measure how close humanity is to “a human-made global catastrophe.” Steven Camilleri, the CTO and co-founder of Australia’s SPEE3D, an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of cold-spray additive manufacturing (CSAM) systems, is proposing that his home country adopt something not unlike the Doomsday Clock, but specifically tailored to a context of industrial resilience.

    This isn’t in his capacity as an advanced manufacturing executive, but rather follows from Camilleri’s work starting Make Stuff Here, a blueprint for Australian industrial autonomy that I covered last year when it was still in its early phases. Now, Camilleri has fleshed out the concept systematically in a paper for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), titled “Make stuff here…or else: A framework for deciding what Australia must produce, repair or regenerate domestically.”

    You can, and should, download the full report here. The core recommendation that it revolves around is the brilliant idea that the Australian government should formulate a ‘National Resilience Test’ used to arrive at a ‘Sovereignty Countdown’ for critical infrastructure and supplies: the amount of time that the nation would be able to provide the relevant goods and services for itself during a major supply disruption.

    Obviously, this would require extensive cooperation between the public and private sectors, as Camilleri also proposes, along with a handful of other major recommendations necessary for implementing the overall framework, such as industrial policy support for workforce development. Notably, Camilleri does not suggest his plan as a replacement or alternative to existing policies and programs that Australia has been implementing in recent years, but argues for its alignment with, and complementarity to, the various tracks that the nation has already introduced as economic resilience measures.

    “This report argues that national resilience is not an abstract policy ambition but a measurable engineering problem,” Camilleri writes. “At its core is the concept of the Sovereignty Countdown: the time a critical system can continue operating if external supply is disrupted. Every essential function—water, energy, fuel, food logistics, communications—operates within this constraint. When the countdown expires, continuity depends on external actors, and sovereignty narrows in practical terms.

    Australia currently operates within a dangerous lag. Policy has pivoted towards resilience, but physical capability hasn’t yet caught up. Decades of rational, efficiency-driven decisions have hollowed out the domestic production layer—the industrial ecosystem that repairs, replenishes and sustains national systems. In its place, Australia relies heavily on storage and logistics. Those extend time but don’t regenerate supply. When supply chains falter, the nation shifts from steady-state operation to drawing down finite reserves.”

    Back in the first month of the Iran War, I wrote a post, “Please Localize Your Supply Chains,” in which I pointed out, “Resilience is starting to feel like the only economic metric that matters, which is noteworthy, for one, because there is no defined metric that I know of that actually measures resilience. But there are plenty of measurements that can serve as indicators of a lack of/threat to resilience.” It’s natural, then, that I would be a huge fan of this report and this proposal, and I think the US would do well to adopt a similar framework.

    Yes, there is some sort of “agreement to discuss an agreement” apparently now in place, and if the war is indeed on its way to being over, it’s easy to see why no one would want to second-guess that. At the same time, do we really think that this is going to be the end of this sort of dynamic?

    Iran has proven you can stand up to the world’s most expensive military and hold the global economy hostage with favorable geography and cheap drones. Surely there are many other nations that have studied closely the precedent that has been set. And, aside from that, the prewar global environment wasn’t exactly a bastion of economic certainty. In addition to the devastating human cost, a primary reason the threat of a prolonged conflict is so terrifying is because global energy supply chains had already been subject to years of strain.

    None of that is to say that the US, or Australia, or other powerful, well-to-do nations, should respond by embracing insularity. Quite the opposite, and that’s what’s especially laudable about Camilleri’s proposal: it does not denounce existing international economic partnerships, but is meant to provide a pathway for those partnerships to be realistically facilitated and optimized.

    The status quo was constructed for a world where everything is operating smoothly, and that’s why it has few viable solutions for the present moment. We can all still hope that things won’t be so bad, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t plan for the inevitability that, from time to time, real problems do arise.

    Featured image courtesy of ASPI

  • 3DPOD 303: 6K Additive CEO Frank Roberts on Premium and Sustainable Metal AM Powder

    6K Additive is roaring ahead with a recycling solution for metals. Their path from scrap to powder is helping the US to be more resilient, produce powder locally and perhaps be more cost effective and sustainable as well. But, what does 6K want to do? Where is it headed? What does it want to accomplish? How does it’s process stack up to others? And how will it go about it? Frank here talks us through their strategy, goals, plants, capacity, operations and the future role 6K wants to play at the core of the US defense and industry.

    This episode of the 3DPOD is brought to you by FacFox, where your next product starts as a file and ends as a custom-made reality. With instant quoting, rapid design feedback, and on-demand 3D printing, CNC machining, injection molding, and more, FacFox makes it easier to test out ideas, fine-tune every detail, and manufacture with confidence. Curious what your design could become? Upload it and find out.

     

  • Goal! 3D Printing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

    The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially kicked off in Mexico City on June 11th. It’s the largest FIFA tournament in history, with 48 teams competing over 104 matches. Instead of just one host country, like Qatar or Brazil, this year’s World Cup is being played at locations across the three host countries of Mexico, Canada, and the U.S. On June 16th, the tournament’s all-time daily attendance record was broken, with 281,223 fans in the stands for the France v. Senegal, Iraq v. Norway, Argentina v. Algeria, and Austria v. Jordan matches; the previous daily record of 277,070, was set all the way back in June of 1994.

    Naturally, I wanted to share how you can use 3D printing to increase your enjoyment of this year’s World Cup, and football (soccer) in general!

    Tiara Croatia 

    This “football fan headband” design by Pinshape user DarMar is perfect for the Croatia fan in your life. It’s a print that’s perfect for beginners, with no supports required and an optional brim. The recommended layer height is 0.20 mm, with a 10-15% infill. It’s optimized for two colors, with the headband itself and the lettering on top separated by height, which will make it simple to use a multi-material printer or add a filament change at the appropriate layer.

    “Show your Croatian pride at football matches, watch parties, festivals, and sporting events with this eye-catching Croatia Fan Tiara! Featuring bold raised letters spelling CROATIA and a soccer ball accent, this lightweight headband is designed to stand out in the crowd while remaining comfortable to wear.”

    World Cup National Team Logos

    Thingiverse user SteveOst created designs for national soccer team logos that can be 3D printed as emblems, or for the flag on your mailbox. He currently has USMNT, MNST, and CNFT, and is working on other team logos, which he will post when ready.

    World Cup Logo Fidget Clickers, Clicky Toy Keychain

    If you like a good clicky fidget, then you’ll definitely want one of these team logo clickers from MyMiniFactory user Clickify 3D! Designed as tactile desk toys and keychain accessories, these compact fidget clickers feature a variety of national team logos, plus a miniature version of the World Cup on top. They were designed for mechanical keyboard switches, like the Kailh Box White V2, and the 3MF files have been pre-configured, so all you need to do is slice and print. These don’t need any supports, and are compatible with 2.4mm ball chains if you want to turn yours into a keychain.

    “Pick your flag. Then try not to press it.”

    Spiral World Cup Fidget

     

    Speaking of 3D printable fidgets, I love this spiraling World Cup by Thingerse user 3dmonios. It’s a print-in-place model, no assembly required, with a fully rotating spiral structure that I would never stop playing with. The recommended layer height is 0.2 mm, and while you don’t need supports, you might want to use a brim if your printer has a hard time with tall models. The model is 100 mm tall, but you can scale it up if you want an even bigger version.

    “After printing, rotate the upper section to free the moving parts and reveal the spiral transformation.”

    Hybrid Services Scans & Prints Miniature for Crewe Alexandra F.C.

    Crewe Alexandra captian Mickey Demetriou with his Mimaki 3D printed model. Image courtesy of Hybrid Services.

    This last isn’t specifically for the World Cup, but I love it so much that I had to share. Crewe Alexandra F.C. is a professional association football club in Crewe, Cheshire, England. When the team was planning the reveal of its 2026-2027 uniform, or kit, they wanted to do something a little different. So they worked with Hybrid Services, the exclusive UK and Ireland distributor for Mimaki technology, to make a miniature version of club captain Mickey Demetriou.

    “We’re constantly amazed at the capabilities of the various Mimaki technologies, and ever since we first saw the full colour 3D printer in action, we had an idea to somehow include it in a big production for the club,” said Crewe Alexandra’s Head of Commercial, James Beckett.

    At the club, scans were taken of Demetriou using a handheld Artec Leo from Europac 3D, quickly capturing fine facial details, the texture of the shirt, and the branding elements of the new Puma uniform. Europac 3D processed and color balanced the scan data, then sent the files to Hybrid, which printed the miniature captain at its headquarters, just a short walk from the Crewe Alexandra club’s stadium. They chose the Mimaki 3DUJ-2207, which can print more than 10 million colors. The finished product was a lifelike, 20 cm tall version of Demetriou, which was placed next to the real Demetriou during the kit reveal video.

     

    In addition to 3D printing the main miniature for the reveal video, Hybrid made a few smaller models for Demetriou’s children. Aimee, his wife, said on social media that their boys loved the “new pocket-sized Daddy” and kept him close, which is absolutely adorable.

    This is a great example of how modern digital technologies, like 3D scanning and color 3D printing, are being more widely used in marketing and promotional campaigns, which can be very lucrative for the customers. The morning after Crewe Alexandra dropped their new kit launch video, fans were eagerly lining up at the club shop to buy their new season shirts.

    “Kit launches are always popular with our fans on social media, but this one has done incredibly well. No pun intended but the 3D print from the Mimaki added another dimension to it, making it all the more intriguing and memorable,” Beckett said.

    The 20cm high full colour 3D printed model was produced as part of Crewe Alexandra’s new season kit launch. Image courtesy of Hybrid Services.