My Printer

  • US Army Awards Continuous Composites 3D Printed Missile Component Contract

    Despite the very loud, indignant claims from American defense officials that the US hasn’t depleted a significant portion of its munitions stockpiles, the US has depleted a significant portion of its munitions stockpiles. Resultantly, President Trump has used the Defense Production Act (DPA) to stimulate accelerated production by US defense contractors.

    This appears to have already filtered into the additive manufacturing (AM) industry, based on recent announcements like Beehive Industries’ $50 million order with EOS. Now, Continuous Composites also looks to be a beneficiary of the broader push to ramp up weapons production: the Idaho-based original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of robotic arm extrusion 3D printers just landed a US Army Manufacturing Technology (ManTech) contract to use its carbon fiber technology for missile components.

    The multi-year contract for Continuous Composites is administered through America Makes, the Manufacturing USA institute dedicated to accelerating the US defense industrial base’s AM adoption. Continuous Composites has amassed an array of DoD contracts in the last couple of years, pulling in funding for work on applications like US Navy UAVs, light-weighting for Air Force airframes, and simulation software specifically designed for 3D printed composites.

    The diversity of defense applications for which Continuous Composites has validated its process would suggest that the company has an outsized role to play in a production environment where agility has moved to the top of the prioritization agenda. This takes on extra relevance when you consider that DoD is currently trying to strike a balance between replenishing legacy weapons systems and getting the ball rolling on new spending programs.

    The CF3D Enterprise®, an integrated system for structural composite manufacturing—built to print complex geometries with precision and speed.

    In a press release about US Army ManTech’s award of a multiyear contract to Continuous Composites for 3D printed missile components, the company’s CEO, Steve Starner, said, “We believe our technology provides game-changing capabilities to the U.S. industrial base, and we are focused on solving some of the toughest challenges related to high-performance and high-temperature materials. Our goal is to lower program risk, improve system capability, and position our customers for confident, scalable production in the future in alignment with Department of Defense priorities.”

    It’s unusual to find a company of Continuous Composites’ size that has worked on so many different applications within the defense sphere, especially considering that all of those applications are currently in urgent demand by military customers. While Continuous Composites’ work with DoD has thus far primarily involved early-stage R&D, that’s arguably precisely the spot a company wants to be when serving a market on the verge of making major shifts in terms of the product mixes it’s targeting.

    Additionally, the fact that an enterprise like ADDMAN Group is a Continuous Composite user provides a readymade pathway for the results of Continuous Composites’ work to move to commercialization. In that sense, too, Continuous Composites’ contract should benefit users like ADDMAN down the road, as well.

    And, along those same lines, Stratasys should be another winner, considering that it just acquired Markforged, which has the rights to use Continuous Composites’ technology following a 2024 $25 million patent infringement settlement. Interestingly, the differences in how the two companies deploy the same core technology make it feasible that what’s good for one will also be good for the other: while Continuous Composites is appropriate for large-format parts, the relative portability of Markforged machines means that the parts printed with Continuous Composites’ systems can be repaired in the field by Markforged printers.

    I expect to see that sort of redundancy/versatility get embedded into the foundation of the Pentagon’s new spending programs in the years ahead. AM industry stakeholders should pay equal attention to how quickly that same mindset makes its way into the overall manufacturing sector.

    Images courtesy of Continuous Composites

  • Why Qualification Is Becoming the Next Frontier for AM in Energy

    The energy industry doesn’t have much room for failure. Components used in power generation often operate under extreme temperatures and pressures, sometimes for decades at a time. That’s one reason why qualification has become one of the most important challenges for the additive manufacturing (AM) industry today

    The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), working closely with America Makes and industry partners, has spent years working on that problem, helping bridge the gap between AM innovation and real-world deployment. The organization recently earned Best Paper honors from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Manufacturing, Materials, and Metallurgy Committee for its paper, “Learnings in the Qualification of ABD®900AM for Turbine, Aerospace, and Energy Applications.”

    At the center of the research is ABD®-900AM, a nickel-based superalloy developed by Alloyed specifically for AM. The paper focuses on lessons learned while qualifying the material for turbine, aerospace, and energy applications. Unlike many qualification efforts, the project involved multiple organizations, manufacturing sites, and AM systems, helping establish a broader foundation for future deployment.

    What’s more, that recognition points to a growing focus on qualification, an area many in the industry see as one of the biggest barriers to wider adoption of additive manufacturing in critical applications.

    Plot showing the improved temperature capability of superalloy ABD®900-AM compared to traditional materials such as alloy 718. Image courtesy of America Makes/EPRI.

    Moving Beyond Demonstration Parts

    The energy industry has long been interested in AM’s potential to shorten supply chains, reduce lead times, and enable the production of complex components that can be difficult to manufacture conventionally. However, printing a part is only one step in the process.

    For critical applications, it isn’t enough to just print a part. Companies also need to prove that they will perform as expected every time. That means a lot of testing, data collection, and validation before a component can be put into service.

    EPRI’s work has also been built around collaboration. Working with America Makes and industry partners, the organization has sought ways to apply aerospace and defense qualification practices to energy, while sharing what it has learned with other sectors. And the result is a more coordinated approach to qualification, with companies and organizations building on each other’s work instead of starting from scratch.

    Building the Foundation for Energy Innovation

    Qualification work may not attract the same attention as a new printer or material, but it often determines whether a technology ever reaches real-world use. That’s one reason EPRI launched its Advanced Manufacturing Methods and Materials (AM3) initiative in 2022. The program brings together utilities, manufacturers, national laboratories, and other partners to share data, develop standards, and help move advanced manufacturing technologies closer to deployment.

    The work is particularly important for emerging energy technologies, including advanced nuclear reactors and modernized grid infrastructure, which may rely on new materials and manufacturing methods in the years ahead.

    Alloyed ABD-900AM used to make a combustion chamber. Image courtesy of Alloyed.

    But EPRI isn’t only focused on qualification. The organization has also been studying how AM could be used to produce larger parts for the energy industry. To that end, earlier this year, EPRI highlighted its work on large-area directed energy deposition (DED), a process that could help manufacturers produce large metal components that are often difficult to obtain through traditional supply chains. In some cases, those efforts focus on replacement parts for aging infrastructure where original suppliers may no longer exist or lead times have become impractical.

    The project is one example of how EPRI is approaching advanced manufacturing. Instead of looking at materials, manufacturing processes, and qualification separately, the organization has been working across all three areas at the same time.

    Timing is also important. Utilities and manufacturers are under pressure to secure critical components more quickly while reducing their dependence on long, sometimes unpredictable supply chains.

    The Push Toward Deployment

    The AM industry has reached a point where technical capability alone is no longer enough. In fact, printing the part is only half the battle. For industries like energy, aerospace, and defense, the real test is proving that a part will perform reliably once it’s in service. That’s why qualification has become such an important part of the AM conversation.

    For the energy industry, that work could have implications well beyond AM. Faster access to critical parts, stronger supply chains, and new manufacturing options are all becoming super important as utilities prepare for the next generation of energy infrastructure.

    Through its work with organizations such as America Makes, EPRI is helping build the framework that could allow additive manufacturing to play a much larger role in the next generation of energy infrastructure.

  • Solukon Releases SPR-Pathfinder PRO—and a Smart Software Strategy

    Large-format LPBF darling Solukon Maschinenbau launches SPR-Pathfinder PRO, an upgrade to its depowdering software. This is a smart play because it enables the company to keep ahead of potential competition through software. It could also enable the better use of existing Solukon machines.

    The company says the new software offers improved process time prediction, simulation, and validation. The company also has a BASIC version of the software. This again seems like a smart move. If I have something relatively simple to depowder, like some engine block components, then maybe BASIC is just fine. I don’t have to pay for the McSalad Shaker Tom Cruise in Cocktail, top-of-the-line stuff, then.

    Meanwhile, if I have a rocket engine, I’m a money-no-object type of person anyway, looking at a backlog of 300 satellites, so I’ll upgrade for every willy-nilly advantage, no matter how small. This can let the company make a good software offering for car companies and other cost-conscious buyers, and develop super-premium features for the heat-exchange and rocket-engine crowd. Too often, most of the differentiation, value-based pricing, and premium offerings in 3D printing are stupid. But this is an example of letting the cost-conscious spend less. Letting the performance crowd get more while showing improvement to your product. And let’s not forget that this software will improve your existing machine. What Solukon is doing here may seem simple, but it is anything but. Too often, in any kind of differentiation in pricing, a lot of people will feel “had,” or worse yet, you kind of break your product somehow. So far, at least here, there is a balance around the right lever for pricing and channel complexity that parallels the cost consciousness and price elasticity of their customers.

    Simulation and validation tools in SPR-Pathfinder PRO help predict depowdering outcomes before processing begins. Image courtesy of Solukon.

    The company says there were customer parts that were simply too complex for the previous version of the software. Here, more accuracy and simulation were needed than they could provide. The firm says it previously had a limit of 2.4 million voxels for predictive capability but no longer does.

    Additionally, the company needed greater traceability for customer certification and has now implemented it. The company also said that it is now looking to let customers design for depowdering so that it can enable more structures and customers can design parts that are easier to depowder reliably.

    Solukon CEO Andreas Hartmann said,

    “At Solukon, we have always believed that reliable and intelligent automated depowdering can be achieved when machine, process, and software are aligned. The parts our customers print today are more complex than ever and we have grown alongside that ambition. SPR-Pathfinder® PRO reflects years of listening to the market and advancing our software in step with the most demanding AM applications: parts with sub-millimeter channels, densely packed internal surfaces, and geometries previously inaccessible.”

    Improvements in prediction will also make life easier for schedulers and other staff, especially in high-mix environments. The new software can measure over 1,000,000 particles and an unlimited amount of voxels. This could be used for very complex channels measuring under 1mm.

    According to the company,

    “The software now enables cross-sectional views of the component in all planes (X, Y, and Z), giving operators full visibility inside the part at any point and from any direction. Also, the part’s transparency can be adjusted very granularly. This makes it straightforward to identify powder traps and bottlenecks before a single layer is printed.”

    Hemank Raj, Product Owner of SPR-Pathfinder, says,

    “SPR-Pathfinder PRO is the result of working closely with operators who push LPBF to its limits every day. The standard version already removes the guesswork from depowdering program creation. With PRO, we go further: users can now look inside the most complex geometries, predict process time with confidence, and validate depowderability before the first layer is printed. That changes how engineers think about postprocessing from the very start of a project.”

    A Siemens component analyzed in SPR-Pathfinder PRO, showing how the software identifies internal powder traps and evaluates depowderability before post-processing. Image courtesy of Solukon.

    Both software versions work with the SFM-AT350, SFM-AT350-E, SFM-AT800-S, SFM-AT1000-S, and SFM-AT1500-S units.

    Comparison of SPR-Pathfinder BASIC and SPR-Pathfinder PRO, highlighting additional simulation, validation, and process-planning capabilities available in the PRO version. Image courtesy of Solukon.

    This seems to be excellent business sense. The differentiation seems fair to all involved and useful as well. It’s also easy to understand. And yet the company is adding more capabilities, ease of use, and utility to previously sold Solukon units (although not all of them) through a software upgrade that should see their owners save time and money.

    This seems like a very sensible approach to creating and adding value for yourself and your customers. Other machine tool companies, not only in Additive, should look at what Solukon is doing here, as it may very well help them make more money while demonstrating greater utility and keeping them ahead of the competition.

  • DREAMing in Dayton: DREAM Symposium Covers AM, AI, Supply Chain, & More

    This month, I attended a manufacturing industry event, like I often do. But instead of getting on a plane to New York City, or driving four hours to Youngstown, I only had to drive ten minutes for the inaugural Dayton Regional Ecosystem for Advanced Manufacturing, or DREAM, Symposium.

    Spearheaded by Dayton area-based companies Hyphen Innovations, Dayton Photonics, Skuld LLC, and Laser Fusion Solutions, this small event in my Ohio hometown was conversational and relationship-driven, focused on the people working to build, test, fund, and deploy advanced manufacturing, many of whom are right here in Dayton. DREAM welcomed academia, industry, and government to discuss how emerging technologies make it to real-world deployment.

    There’s a lot of manufacturing innovation going on in Ohio; it’s a core state of the Rust Belt, after all. In Dayton specifically, we’ve got the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI); Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), which houses the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL); and plenty of manufacturing companies. This is where the Wright Brothers invented flight, and where Charles F. Kettering worked on the electrical starting motor and the “Bug” aerial torpedo!

    DREAM kicked off the night before the symposium with a pre-networking party at a local brewery. In the morning, we all gathered at The Hub, a co-working space in downtown Dayton’s historic Arcade. The Arcade Innovation Hub is a formal joint venture between the University of Dayton and the Entrepreneurs’ Center, and is actually the largest university-anchored innovation center in the country.

    Supply Chain

    After opening remarks from Dayton City Commissioner Darius Beckham, who said that “our future is heavily tied to this room, to defense and aerospace and all the technologies that will define the next century,” Skuld CEO Sarah Jordan moderated a panel on supply chains between Hyphen’s Founder and CEO Dr. Onome Scott-Emuakpor and Skuld CTO Mark DeBruin. She first asked them about the concrete ways they’ve used advanced manufacturing technology to improve the supply chain.

    “When it comes to manufacturing and supporting the supply chain, cost and time are always first and foremost,” Dr. Scott-Emuakpor said. “I look at basic equipment and figure out how to use it to make complex, high-level components. You can get plastic 3D printers for $1,000, while metal printers cost much, much more. We’re attempting to use plastic printers to print metal; all we’d need is an affordable furnace.”

    The idea is to majorly lower the cost of the equipment in order to create a part that’s close to the same integrity as one that can be made with more expensive machines.

    DeBruin talked about Skuld’s hybrid additive-enabled evaporative casting, or AMEC, technology. They print a polymer or foam pattern of the part, then place the pattern in a mold. The pattern disappears during casting, and leaves behind a metal part with the same shape. It has the same microstructure as casting, but it’s a much faster process than straight metal printing.

    “We also have a lot of benchtop printers that we’re modifying for higher resolution,” DeBruin said.

    Skuld parts at DREAM Symposium

    The panelists also discussed how they’re working to speed things up for the supply chain, like cutting down the manufacturing steps, as Dr. Scott-Emuakpor suggested. For instance, Hyphen’s iDAMP software enables them to print parts that don’t need a lot of post-fabrication steps.

    “We can significantly impact the parts’ exposure to vibration, shock, or impact. Many parts that fail do so because of those issues,” he explained. “With our software, parts don’t have to be as strong, and it can reduce the time by 50%.”

    DeBruin said sometimes, a conversation with the customer can be the most helpful.

    “If there are very tight tolerances for machining, we can ask the customer, why do they need to be so tight? If you can eliminate some of those machining steps, like extra coatings, this can save time. Don’t push back on the customer, but just ask, does this make sense?”

    Both Hyphen’s iDAMP software and Skuld’s AMEC process can be licensed out to other companies.

    L-R: Sarah Jordan, Skuld; Dr. Onome Scott-Emuakpor, Hyphen Innovations; and Mark DeBruin, Skuld

    Focusing specifically on Ohio, Jordan asked about the benefits of founding tech companies here, as opposed to larger, more well-known tech hubs like San Francisco and Boston. DeBruin noted that a large percentage of the U.S. is within a one-day drive of Columbus, and that there are plenty of military bases nearby that offer funding opportunities. Dr. Scott-Emuakpor also cited proximity, as well as affordability.

    “Known tech hubs are expensive, first of all,” Dr. Scott-Emuakpor said. “Second, Ohio is saturated with high-quality tech companies. Just in this room, there are six different entities that I have collaborated with. I don’t think, in a different area, a newer company like ours would have six different collaborators in one room.”

    When asked about their five-year predictions, Dr. Scott-Emuakpor said that he sees additive being more highly implemented into mainstream manufacturing, and also sees Hyphen “growing at the same rate as the implementation and usage of advanced manufacturing.”

    “We’re developing a lot of our process to fit in shipping containers,” DeBruin said. “In five years, I’d like us to be the McDonald’s of advanced manufacturing, where we can train people to make the exact same pieces over and over.”

    Technology Showcases & Fireside Chats

    Peppered throughout the day were several brief Technology Showcases from participating Ohio-based companies. Vixiv offers AI-enabled, predictive engineering design software: users define the requirements and parameters, while the company handles all of the analysis and predictions. CEO and founder Aaron Chow said the software is able to compress the design cycle down from 4-6 months to just 2-3 minutes.

    LeapFast Manufacturing offers a solid-state additive process called Bobbin-Friction Stir Deposition (B-FSD). Instead of melting, it uses friction to soften high-strength aluminum alloys, and deposit the material before it gets to the liquid state. CTO and co-founder Kranthi Balusu said B-FSD can cut lead times by up to 98%.

    In a fireside chat, Emily Fehrman Cory, PhD, the CEO of Dayton Photonics, discussed the startup’s solid-state laser beam steering technology, as well as their fiberless optical communication system THEIA.

    Emily Fehrman Cory, PhD, Dayton Photonics, at DREAM Symposium

    Dr. Scott-Emuakpor spoke about Hyphen, which he said is “highly focused on physics-based models.” One of the company’s key technologies is an accelerated fatigue test machine, and another is their previously mentioned i-DAMP software.

    Mile 2, a custom software development company, works primarily with the DoW on “mission-ready decision intelligence,” as Principal Machine Learning Engineer Patrick Hester, PhD, explained. He said that the company developed the first DoW-approved Google Cloud Platform environment that met Zero Trust (ZT) cybersecurity requirements.

    Meysam Haghshenas, an Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Toledo, is the director of the university’s Fatigue, Fracture, and Failure Laboratory (F3L). He explained that the durability of 3D printed parts is a major qualification challenge, because AM materials are internally defective, and discussed his lab’s research on long vs. ultralong fatigue of AM materials.

    Jordan talked about Skuld, and she even brought some additive casting examples. She discussed some of the materials the company is working on, like new aluminum, iron, and steel options, as well as some of its government-funded projects, like DARPA’s Rubble to Rockets (R2R).

    Automation & AI

    After a lunch break, we re-convened for a panel about automation and artificial intelligence (AI), moderated by Hyphen’s Lead Research Engineer Troy Krizak. He first wanted to know the state of the technology the panelists are seeing in the industry. Chris Barrett, the CEO of Laser Fusion Solutions, said a lot of the AI they see in machine shops “comes in on the software side, not at the machine level,” while automation is used for quality control and inspections.

    Rajesh Naik, CEO of Mined XAI, said that because automation and AI are both such buzz words, they don’t always even explicitly say that they’re an AI company.

    “But getting some data that’s well-structured is important,” he explained. “Start small, determine your key pain points, and build from there. We’ve talked to many clients who’ve shelved AI projects after 6 months because the return on investment isn’t immediate.”

    Hester said on the automation side, someone is ultimately responsible for the system, and the decisions it makes. With AI, cognitive effort is redistributed, not removed.

    “The burden is still on you to make the decision – do we continue to observe, collect more intel, quit? These [automation and AI] help us become more effective if deployed correctly, but they’re not taking anyone’s job.”

    L-R: Troy Krizak, Hyphen Innovations; Patrick Hester, Mile 2; Rajesh Naik, Mined XAI; and Chris Barrett, Laser Fusion Solutions

    Krizak wanted to know where they saw AI having the biggest impact in the manufacturing community, and Hester said it was the idea that you can wrangle huge amounts of data, make sense of it, and quickly get the relevant information out.

    “The amount of data we’re generating in organizations is beyond the comprehension of what one person can understand. So AI helps.”

    Naik thinks of these “massive amounts of data” in terms of the supply chain, with “hundreds of thousands of SKUs, supplied by multiple vendors, shipped to 600-700 businesses across the nation, then to distribution centers.” AI can help build resiliency in the system, so instead of multiple dashboards, all of that important information is in one place.

    Materials & Manufacturing for Aerospace & Energy Resilience

    The final panel was moderated by Hyphen’s Strategic Growth Lead, Jamaal Linson. With panelists Fred Herman, Principal Consultant with Advanced Additive Manufacturing, LLC; LeapFast’s Balusu; and Mike Brody of The Brody Group, Linson discussed how expensive manufacturing equipment is, and how they’re able to get funding. Herman noted that during COVID, many called on Defense Production Act Title III, which provides economic incentives to modernize, expand, and protect the domestic industrial base.

    “When it comes to CapEx, in realistic terms, you can fund it yourself or through investment partners, and you’ll likely get an immediate loss due to the Big Beautiful Bill,” Brody said, then suggested that manufacturing companies could use NASA’s Internal Research and Development (IRAD) program, which funds cutting-edge scientific and engineering concepts.

    From the audience, Jordan said Skuld purchases a lot of equipment at auctions, or builds their own. Kimberly Gibson, Industrial Base Integration Director at America Makes, asked if there could ever be a way to collateralize data as an asset, because banks working with manufacturers don’t typically cover something that’s not a hard and fast machine. A banker in the audience didn’t have an answer for that specific question, but did suggest the possibility of leasing equipment, or using a specialized bank; Gibson said that “we need to help the banks help us collateralize data.”

    L-R: Jamaal Linson, Hyphen Innovations; Fred Herman, Advanced AM LLC; Kranthi Balusu, LeapFast Manufacturing; and Mike Brody, the Brody Group

    Moving on, Linson asked how we can get the future generation excited about manufacturing careers. Balusu said he believes that kids are pushed away from this work, because they’ve “seen their grandparents lose their jobs in dark factories. But it’s not like that anymore.” Brody said companies need to donate printers and software to schools, and help them create learning labs, and that we need to tell kids it’s okay to get a manufacturing trade degree or go to a two-year school.

    A younger audience member said that most graduating college students just want job security, while a public school teacher said that often, educators don’t even see 3D printers or CNC machines, “so there’s no spark, we can’t teach it.” Another member of the audience, who works with IACMI – The Composites Institute in Tennessee, shared that they are rolling out free STEM kits for students in grades K-5, making videos to show teachers how to use the technology, and showing kids footage from manufacturing industries so they can see how the technology is used in real life.

    Linson also asked the panelists about manufacturing capabilities that our competitors understand better than we do. Brody’s answer was rare earth minerals and mining. Herman said that it’s not necessarily the capability, but “the mental, long-term perspective.” From the audience, Skuld’s DeBruin agreed, noting that “China and Vietnam look in generations, and the U.S. looks in months and years.” Balusu said that China has a long roadmap, “and they plan for resilient supply chains to manufacture at scale.”

    Final Thoughts

    Overall, the first DREAM Symposium was a worthwhile event. I thought the panel discussions, and the audience feedback throughout, were very interesting, and I kept thinking about some of the things people had said long after I’d gone home for the day. It was also great to connect with people and companies in my area, and I plan on having follow-up conversations with many of them.

    “Our goal was to create a small, intimate room to encourage bonding,” Linson said. “We’ve laid a great foundation for the future.”

    I can’t wait for the next one!

    Images courtesy of Sarah Saunders for 3DPrint.com

  • New Study Shows Electronics Could Be Manufactured Directly in Space

    A team of researchers from Auburn University and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center has successfully demonstrated a new additive manufacturing (AM) process that could allow astronauts to manufacture electronic components directly in space. Published in npj Advanced Manufacturing, the study showed that conductive silver and copper structures can be produced in microgravity using a dry, ink-free printing process. The researchers say the work could help make on-demand electronics manufacturing possible during future space missions.

    Astronauts have already used 3D printers in space to make tools and replacement parts. Electronics are a different challenge. Many of the methods being explored today rely on liquid materials, which can be difficult to work with in weightlessness and are not always practical for use in space.

    The project is the result of several years of work led by Auburn University researcher Masoud Mahjouri-Samani, who also founded NanoPrintek, a startup focused on dry nanoparticle manufacturing technologies. In 2022, NASA awarded the team $1.5 million to develop and test the system for use in space environments.

    Auburn’s Masoud Mahjouri-Samani tries a 3D printed electronic device. Image courtesy of NanoPrintek.

    To solve this, researchers developed what they call a dry additive nanomanufacturing platform, or Dry-ANM. Instead of printing with inks, the system creates tiny metal particles (or nanoparticles), places them on a surface, and then sinters them together to form conductive structures. The process uses silver and copper, two of the most common materials used in electronics. The machine itself is pretty compact—roughly the size of a small appliance—measuring about 60 centimeters on each side, and combines particle generation, printing, and sintering in just one system; this is an important feature for future space missions where room is limited.

    Unlike many conventional 3D printing systems, the platform generates the metal nanoparticles during the manufacturing process itself rather than relying on pre-made inks or powders. The technology was designed to avoid some of the challenges associated with liquid-based manufacturing systems, making it particularly attractive for use in space.

    Dry-ANM Microgravity Printing Campaign. Image courtesy of Mahjouri-Samani et al., npj Advanced Manufacturing (2026).

    The team tested the technology during a two-day series of parabolic flights, which create short periods of weightlessness. Across 50 separate microgravity sessions lasting about 25 seconds each, the researchers successfully produced conductive metal structures and observed the process in microgravity. The team used the system to create silver and copper features, including antennas and other conductive patterns.

    The flights were carried out as part of a NASA-supported campaign first announced by Auburn researchers last year. The paper published this month provides the first detailed look at how the system performed in microgravity.

    Payload Design and Analysis including printer system layout, installed payload, operator ergonomics, and FEMAP model. Image courtesy of Mahjouri-Samani et al., npj Advanced Manufacturing (2026).

    One of the key findings was that the metal particles behaved differently in microgravity than they do on Earth. Even so, the team was able to adjust the process and continue producing functional metal features during the tests. According to the paper, they believe further refinements could improve the technology’s performance even more. The researchers also noted that the platform has previously been used with additional materials, including zinc oxide, indium tin oxide, and dielectric materials, suggesting it could eventually be used to manufacture more complex electronic systems.

    What makes this research interesting is not simply that electronics can be printed in space. The technology could eventually allow crews to make custom sensors, repair damaged systems, and produce replacement electronic components on demand. Instead of carrying large inventories of spare parts, future missions could potentially fabricate what they need when they need it.

    The researchers say this could be particularly valuable for missions beyond Earth orbit. A trip to Mars, for example, could take months, making replacement parts difficult to get. If something breaks, astronauts could make their own replacement parts, instead of waiting for supplies from Earth.

    Printer in operation under microgravity showing the particle generation (green color in chamber), particle delivery through the nozzle, and sintering and printing process in real time. Image courtesy of Mahjouri-Samani et al., npj Advanced Manufacturing (2026).

    This is not the first time 3D printed electronics have been involved in space research. Researchers have previously sent 3D printed electronic components to space for testing, and several groups have explored ways to manufacture electronics in orbit. However, making the materials needed for those devices in microgravity is still a big challenge. To explore that problem, the researchers focused on the manufacturing process itself. Their experiments showed that conductive metal structures could be created during repeated periods of weightlessness. Unlike many printed electronics systems, which rely on liquid materials, the Auburn-developed platform uses a fully dry process, eliminating one of the challenges associated with manufacturing in space.

    The timing of this research is really good. NASA’s Artemis II mission completed its flight around the Moon earlier this year, and Artemis III is scheduled for 2027 as the agency works toward longer-duration missions deeper into space. So it’s easy to see that as astronauts travel farther from Earth, replacing damaged equipment becomes quite difficult. Technologies that allow crews to manufacture electronic components on demand could help support everything from sensors and communications hardware to critical spacecraft systems. After all, producing electronic components where they are needed, rather than launching every replacement part from Earth, remains one of the long-term goals of in-space manufacturing.

  • EOS, HP, Prusa, and Stratasys Sponsor UAS Additive Strategies Webcast on June 30

    3DPrint.com and AM Research will present a live webcast, UAS Additive Strategies, on June 30, from 11 AM to 2:30 PM Eastern, and you can register here. The event is sponsored by some real powerhouses in the 3D printed drone market: Diamond Sponsor EOS, and Platinum Sponsors HP, Prusa Research, and Stratasys.

    That’s important because representatives from all those companies will be among those featured in the talks and panels throughout the event. This is a truly unique opportunity for attendees to learn how industrial-grade metal 3D printers, industrial-grade polymer 3D printers, and high-tier desktop machines are all directly contributing to the early stages of a revolution in both manufacturing and defense doctrine.

    UAS Additive Strategies 2026

    While we’ve all become numb to hearing the word ‘revolution’ in a 3D printing context, this is one time when there’s no other word for it. As I noted in an earlier post about UAS Additive Strategies, Ukraine evolved from a starting point of producing about 3,000 drones domestically in 2022, the first year of the Russian invasion, to producing about 4 million domestically last year, a number that equates to more drone production capacity than all of the NATO countries combined.

    That couldn’t have happened without AM, and you will learn about that firsthand at the webcast from Jake Volnov, CEO of DrukArmy, an organization which facilitates an international network supplying drones to Ukraine’s frontlines. In addition to hearing from people like Volnov with expertise in manufacturing drones at the edge, you can also hear from manufacturers of strategic drones, like Steve Fournier from General Atomics Aeronautical, and the CTO of Firestorm Labs Ian Muceus. There’s also a panel on tactical drones, featuring Conrad Smith, Global Director of Aerospace & Defense at Stratasys, preceded by a featured talk on the subject from Emily Levin, Unmanned Systems Application Engineer at HP.

    The event will kick off with EOS’s David Krzeminski, the company’s Business Development Manger for Polymer, and the one and only Josef Prusa, CEO and Founder of Prusa Research, will be giving a featured talk at 12:40 PM Eastern. There will also be speakers from 3DPrint.com and AM Research, sharing market data and forecasts, trends and innovations, dual-use insights, and more.

    You won’t be able to hear such a diverse range of voices on the critical topic of 3D printed drones in a span of just a few hours anywhere else. Register here now, to learn about a market opportunity that AM Research forecasts to be worth nearly a billion dollars by 2034.

  • Zellerfeld Partners With Volumental to Advance Custom-Fit 3D Printed Shoes

    Zellerfeld announced today that it is partnering with Volumental. Volumental’s foot-scanning solution will be used in Zellerfeld’s shoe 3D-printing platform. Volumental will receive an investment from Zellerfeld but remain independent. In the current setup, “Volumental’s in-store and online scanning experiences are fed directly into Zellerfeld’s 3D printing pipeline and allows each shoe to be printed to the specific contours of an individual customer’s foot.”

    Zellerfeld CEO Cornelius Schmitt said,

    “We looked at every credible 3D foot-scanning option in the world before selecting Volumental. It was the clear choice because the precision and accuracy of their scans are what custom 3D printing actually requires, and the experience, in store or on a phone, is simple enough that any customer can complete it. They have spent more than a decade building the fit technology layer the footwear industry needs. Partnering with Volumental lets us focus on what Zellerfeld does best: turning precise foot data into custom 3D-printed shoes at scale.”

    Studio Runner 3D printed shoe. Image courtesy of Zellerfeld.

    At the same time, Volumental CEO Alper Aydemir said,

    “Zellerfeld has built something the footwear industry has talked about for twenty years and never actually delivered at scale: shoes manufactured to your foot, not the average foot. For that to work, the foot data has to be right. Zellerfeld evaluated the entire field and chose us — that means a great deal to us. There is no better partner to make individually-fit footwear the default, not the exception.”

    The two firms say the partnership will make it easier to use foot-scanning data from both in-store and mobile experiences to manufacture custom-fit shoes. Volumental’s foot-scanning technology has already been deployed by various shoe firms, such as New Balance and Hoka, as well as large shoe retailers. The company has an easy-to-use suite of products that can narrow down your shoe choice or capture the right foot data.

    This partnership follows Zellerfeld’s recent investment of roughly $900,000 in Volumental. The company has amassed more than 66 million foot scans through a network of over 3,000 retail locations worldwide. If custom footwear is to become a mass-market product, a large database of foot measurements could be a significant competitive advantage. In that sense, data may prove to be just as important as the manufacturing technology itself.

    Zellerfeld, meanwhile, went from being the darling of 3D printed shoes for large luxury brands to a platform. You can upload and sell your design through Zellerfeld, showcasing a kind of YouTube-for-shoes approach. This platform approach means that Zellerfeld is trying to position itself as a key piece of infrastructure for a future digital shoe industry. If people switch en masse to 3D printed shoes, the biggest and most efficient platform for designers and brands is likely to be Zellerfeld. This could mean the best reach, the widest choice, the best economies of scale, and the lowest cost per pair. With Volumental on board, Zellerfeld hopes to make more accurate shoes that please customers.

    Havaianas Top Toe 3D printed Flip-Flops made with Zellerfeld. Image courtesy of Zellerfeld.

    The shoes so far look very futuristic, but some, like the Havaianas TopToe, for example, look very wearable, while prices are well within the range of higher-end offerings from retail brands. We do not yet know what position 3D printing of shoes will hold in the overall market. It could be a more efficient, less wasteful, more profitable way to make shoes. Or it could be a niche within a much bigger market that trudges on using the old ways.

  • China Now Has 29 Universities Offering Additive Manufacturing Engineering Degrees

    As China’s national college entrance examination (Gaokao) concludes, millions of students and parents are once again focused on university admissions and future career choices.

    Computer science, artificial intelligence (AI), and renewable energy remain among the most popular fields. Yet within the additive manufacturing (AM) industry, another trend is quietly gaining momentum: China is systematically building a new generation of engineers specifically trained for 3D printing. And this effort is happening faster — and on a larger scale — than many people realize.

    From One University to Twenty-Nine in Five Years

    In 2026, China’s Ministry of Education approved six additional universities to offer undergraduate degrees in Additive Manufacturing Engineering, including Beijing University of Technology, Northeastern University, Hunan Institute of Technology, Suzhou Institute of Technology, Wuhan Vocational University of Technology, and Sichuan Engineering Technical University.

    With these additions, the number of Chinese universities offering dedicated Additive Manufacturing Engineering programs has reached 29 nationwide.

    That growth trajectory is striking. When the major was introduced in 2021, only one institution, Xinxiang University, offered the program. Five years later, 29 universities have adopted it.

    The list now includes some of China’s most prestigious engineering schools, such as Harbin Institute of Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, and Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, alongside numerous regional and application-oriented universities. Proving this is no longer an educational experiment but the beginning of a nationwide talent-development strategy.

    3D printing laboratory at Xinxiang University’s School of 3D Printing, one of China’s earliest dedicated educational programs focused on additive manufacturing. Image courtesy of Xinxiang University.

    The Industry Moved First, Universities Are Catching Up

    The rapid expansion of these programs reflects a simple reality: China’s AM industry has grown faster than its talent pipeline.

    Over the past decade, Chinese 3D printing has evolved from a prototyping technology into a manufacturing technology.

    Metal AM is increasingly used in aerospace structures. Automotive companies are shortening development cycles through rapid production and tooling. Medical applications continue expanding through patient-specific implants and devices. Meanwhile, consumer 3D printing has experienced explosive growth, driven by companies such as BambuLab, Creality, Anycubic, and Snapmaker.

    Today, China is widely recognized as one of the world’s largest markets for both 3D printing equipment production and AM applications. But as the industry matures, a critical challenge has emerged. The shortage is no longer machines. It is people.

    Companies Need More Than Machine Operators

    Over the years, conversations with numerous AM companies have revealed that the challenge is not finding mechanical engineers, but finding engineers who truly understand AM. Modern AM professionals are expected to understand design optimization, material behavior, process parameters, simulation tools, software workflows, and, increasingly, automation and AI.

    In high-value sectors such as metal AM, aerospace components, and advanced materials, the demand for multidisciplinary talent is especially acute. In fact, many job descriptions now resemble what could best be described as “cross-disciplinary engineering” roles.

    Typical compensation levels reflect this demand. AM Process Engineers with a Master’s degree or PhD earn between RMB 20,000 ($3,000) and 40,000 ($5,900) per month. Metal AM materials and process engineers with one to three years of experience earn RMB 15,000 ($2,200) to 25,000 ($3,700) per month. Advanced process development, software, algorithm, and AI-related positions can command compensation equivalent to RMB 40,000 per month or more, often paid over 14 salary cycles. Entry-level operational positions at equipment manufacturers generally range from RMB 8,000 ($1,200) to 12,000 ($1,800) per month.

    Similarly, technical operators typically earn RMB 8,000–12,000 per month, while process engineers earn RMB 15,000–25,000 per month. Senior R&D, materials, and advanced engineering specialists can earn between RMB 25,000 and 60,000 ($8,900) per month.

    Yet despite these opportunities, many companies report difficulty filling positions. The problem is not a lack of openings, but a shortage of candidates with the right combination of skills.

    The Baiyun Winbo 3D Printing College in Guangzhou. Image courtesy of Baiyun Winbo 3D Printing College.

    China and the U.S. Are Taking Different Educational Paths

    Interestingly, China’s approach differs significantly from that of the United States.

    Most American universities have not established standalone undergraduate degrees in AM. Instead, AM is typically integrated into traditional disciplines such as mechanical engineering, materials science, aerospace engineering, and industrial engineering.

    Institutions including Penn State, MIT, Carnegie Mellon University, Ohio State University, and the University of Texas at El Paso maintain internationally recognized AM research programs. However, specialization generally occurs at the graduate or research level.

    The two countries are taking different approaches to AM education. In the United States, students typically build a foundation in disciplines such as mechanical engineering, materials science, or aerospace engineering before specializing in AM. China is increasingly training AM specialists at the undergraduate level through dedicated degree programs. One approach emphasizes research and specialization later in the educational process, while the other focuses on developing a larger AM workforce from the start.

    The 3D Printing Lab at Tsinghua (Qingdao) Academy of Arts and Science Innovation Research. Image courtesy of Tsinghua (Qingdao) Academy of Arts and Science Innovation Research.

    The Future of AM Depends on People

    After spending years in the industry, I have become convinced that the next major competitive advantage in AM will not come from machines, materials, or software alone. It will come from talent.

    Machines can be purchased. Software can be upgraded. Processes can be learned. But developing a truly skilled AM engineer takes years, sometimes decades. That is why the rapid emergence of 29 dedicated university programs may be more significant than the launch of any new printer platform. This is not simply an upgrade in technology, but the beginning of a new generation.

    Many observers still evaluate AM through the lens of technological breakthroughs. Yet from an industrial perspective, the more important question may be: Who is being systematically trained to drive the next phase of growth?

    As increasing numbers of students begin studying design for AM, materials science, process control, and digital manufacturing within dedicated university curricula, the industry enters a new stage of maturity.

    Five years ago, AM Engineering was offered by a single university in China. Today, it is taught at 29. Of course, the industry’s talent shortage will not be solved overnight. But China has moved quickly from treating AM as a niche specialty to making it part of formal engineering education.

    About the Author

    Xu Fanglei is an industrial designer, entrepreneur, and industry commentator focused on additive manufacturing and digital fabrication. He is the founder of SCRAT3D and 3D Printing Technology, one of China’s emerging media platforms covering the global 3D printing industry. Over the past decade, Xu has worked across industrial design, product innovation, and advanced manufacturing, while building connections between designers, manufacturers, researchers, and technology companies. His work explores the impact of 3D printing on manufacturing, education, consumer products, and entrepreneurship. Xu regularly publishes industry analysis and interviews, with a particular focus on developments within China’s rapidly growing additive manufacturing sector.

  • ORNL Origami Creates Large Foldable Structures

    Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is using a hybrid 3D printing method to make foldable panels. At the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) at ORNL, researchers turned composite panels into foldable, durable structures.

    Researcher Steven Guzorek stated,
    “This pioneering method redefines advanced manufacturing by fusing material science with transformative design principles. By applying origami-inspired principles to hybrid composites, we are improving the efficiency and scalability of large-structure manufacturing and achieving forms unattainable with traditional additive approaches — advancing robust, cost-effective solutions for a broad range of applications.”

    According to ORNL, the process starts with fabric,

    “Such as nylon, glass fiber or resin-infused composite fibers, followed by an integration or bonding layer such as thermoplastic polyurethane for compatibility and adhesion. The reinforcing layer is then applied using deposited composite materials, including thermoplastic carbon-fiber acrylonitrile butadiene styrene for lightweight structural performance or thermoset formulations such as styrene-based or epoxy-based resins for enhanced stiffness, geometry control and durability….The materials bond at the molecular level, forming a strong connection between the grid and the outer layer.”

    I once tried to print TPU onto a T-shirt, but this did not work. But I did not know that I was so close to greatness. ORNL thinks this can produce large objects and could reduce manufacturing time by 95% and costs by 90% compared to traditional manufacturing methods. Oak Ridge has patented the process and wants to license out this innovation.

    Guzorek goes on to say that,

    “Our goal is to make this innovation scalable so manufacturers across industries can harness its potential. By broadening access to mold-free hybrid composites, we’re empowering manufacturers to explore new design possibilities and unlock entirely new applications for this transformative technology.”

    Integrated fold geometries and structural reinforcement patterns enable this origami-inspired composite to transition from a flat panel into a three-dimensional form. Image courtesy of Andrew Sproles/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy

    As much as I’d like to think that ORNL is making 3D printable homeless shelters, it’s probably something else that’s going to be the output here. One obvious application is to make flexible insulation structures for rockets and aviation applications. Previous Space Shuttle heat blankets, enhanced with ceramics (Fibrous Insulated blankets), were used in fire protection and aviation. These blankets protected the Shuttle from heat and replaced the tiles that malfunctioned, causing the Columbia disaster. On some hypersonics, a flexible, reusable surface insulation layer made of Nomex is used along with lightweight phenolic ablation materials to protect the craft from intense heat. TPS (thermal protection systems) are to be a key part of future extended space missions. Research into nanodoped ceramic-polymer composites and advanced resins is also expanding rapidly. Current work in Multi-Layer Insulation (MLI) could really benefit from this.

    Foldable drones may seem fanciful, but this is another possibility. There’s an SBIR out for Juggerbot, which makes structures using material extrusion and then enhances them by jetting thermosets onto them. This is a super exciting way to make extremely lightweight structures. No more rivets, no more internal structures and skin, just one strong skin. Another possibility is to make IR-blocking structures. Kastinger, for example, makes HT4 a fabric that blocks IR cameras from seeing you or your vehicle. With drones all over the place, having large structures being made quickly to keep you from being seen seems like a great idea.

    Now imagine printing a large structure flat. We love flat structures because they’re fast and cheap to make. And then, with little print time, you fold it into a drone body or a wing shape. That would be super nice. That would allow you to make super-cheap structures super quickly. With our drone event upcoming, I’m thinking quite a lot about drones, so maybe you could do other things with this.

    Temporary structures are a considerable business and could be another target for this. Such structures could also find applications in offshore energy, wind power, and other large-scale infrastructure projects. I don’t know if we should 3D print room dividers or something like this, but this is one way to do it. Apart from this invention, more people should be thinking along these lines. With similar methods, you could make very large structures at very low cost. Years ago, Nervous System showed that by printing on pre-stretched fabric, you can effectively program a shape to emerge when the fabric’s tension is released. Coupling this with the ORNL approach could let you print a table faster, and then it can self-assemble. Combining this approach with DefeXtiles, you could even add a woven layer using under-extrusion to reinforce your print.

  • 3D Printing News Briefs, June 24, 2026: Name Change, Digital Foundry, & Yeast

    In today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, we’re starting with a formal name change for an African industrial technology company that’s a major user of additive manufacturing (AM) in the oil and gas industry. Then, we’ll move on to 3D printing for investment casting, and end with a interesting bio-based material for AM in architecture and interior design.

    RusselSmith Formally Changes Name & Transitions to Arridex

    The company formerly known as RusselSmith recently announced a formal name change to Arridex. The change, registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria, reflects a major expansion of its capabilities, as well as the industries it is now serving. Arridex was originally founded as an asset integrity company to serve the oil and gas sector in Nigeria, but it now operates across aerospace, defense, construction, maritime, and manufacturing as well. The organization has Pioneer Status in AM, which was granted by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), and it’s actually the first company that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) qualified for AM deployment in the oil and gas industry. The formal name change also coincides with a major operational milestone for the company. West Africa’s first multi-technology industrial AM facility, the Arridex Omnifactory, was commissioned in Lagos this month, and offers a variety of AM technologies, like LPBF, SLS, CSAM, and FFF, for on-demand production of spares and industrial components.

    “The name RusselSmith defined what we were at the start. Arridex defines what we have built,” explained Kayode Adeleke, Group Chief Executive Officer of Arridex. “The dependency of African industry on fragile supply chains is a structural problem that this continent has accepted for too long. The Omnifactory is a concrete answer to the challenge of manufacturing sovereignty. Arridex is the name of the company built over two decades and raised intentionally to enable industrial resilience in Africa.”

    Addressing America’s Investment Casting Crisis with Digital Foundry

    DDM Systems, which specializes in ceramic 3D printing for investment casting, wants to address the investment casting crisis in the U.S. That’s why the ITAR-registered company has commercially launched its Digital Foundry platform, which is a vertically integrated approach to reduce casting lead times by eliminating tooling from the process. The platform combines three proprietary technologies: Large Area Maskless Photopolymerization (LAMP), which prints ceramic casting shells using patterned UV light; DirectPour, which delivers ready-to-pour ceramic shells with integrated cores to partners; and Scanning Laser Epitaxy (SLE), which enables direct 3D printing of single-crystal, equiaxed, and directionally solidified superalloy structures. DDM Systems says its Digital Foundry platform gets rid of 100% of upfront tooling costs, reduces scrap rates by about 90%, and delivers a 10x reduction in lead time for castings, with customers receiving precision metal castings in days, instead of months.

    “The American casting industry has been hollowed out over decades, and the consequences are now showing up in every major defense and energy program in the country,” said Dr. Suman Das, the Founder, President, and CEO of DDM Systems, and the Morris M. Bryan Jr. Chair Professor in Mechanical Engineering for Advanced Manufacturing Systems at Georgia Tech. “Our Digital Foundry is not a prototype or a concept. It is a production-ready platform that is already delivering castings for the U.S. Air Force, gas turbine manufacturers, and aerospace OEMs.

    “We built this technology over 15 years with DARPA and ARPA-E support specifically to solve the problem of a shrinking domestic casting base. The Digital Foundry does not replace foundries. It removes the tooling bottleneck that prevents foundries from responding to demand at the speed the defense and energy sectors require.”

    Researchers Develop Bio-Based Material from Yeast for Architectural Elements

    Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed a new, entirely bio-based material from a somewhat unexpected ingredient: yeast. Credit: Chalmers University of Technology | Henrik Sandsjö

    A large amount of resource consumption and global emissions comes from the construction sector, and a research team from Chalmers University of Technology studied how industrial residual products can be used to make new materials that can increase circularity in architecture. The team developed a new bio-based material from baker’s yeast, which can be 3D printed and customized for architectural and interior design elements, like room partitions, wall systems, or sunlight protecting screens. In this case, yeast isn’t used for fermentation, but as a biomass. Heated yeast is combined with cellulose fibers from wood, alginate from algae, glycerol from plants, and water to form a 3D printable hydrogel. Pressure-based 3D printing, carried out at room temperature, is used to fabricate the architectural elements from the hydrogel, and no support structures or heating are required. The material is biodegradable, and the researchers found they can even adjust the formula to change its color, surface texture, and transparency. As they explain in their study, this material could eventually become an environmentally friendly alternative to plastics and synthetic textiles.

    “The future of architectural ELMs, or Engineered Living Materials, is very exciting, with great potential to customise them to perform a variety of functions. This could, for example, involve self-healing materials or materials that purify the air by neutralising harmful substances and pollutants,” said Malgorzata Zboinska, Professor at the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering at Chalmers and leader of the study. “What we have achieved so far is an important first step towards establishing a completely new type of architectural material. You could say that we are laying the foundations for future developments that combine sustainability, functionality and design in entirely new ways.”