Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi connect the latest census trends to emerging 3D printing hubs across the U.S.
News
New news and reviews
Vision Transformers Boost Real Time FFF Quality Monitoring
Researchers propose a Vision Transformer approach that detects FFF surface defects in real time with on-demand explainability.
Implications of the Bambu Lab vs Pop Mart Settlement
There’s been a settlement in the case of Bambu Lab versus Pop Mart, and there are implications.
HB 2320 Advances in Washington While Broader 3D Printer Control Bill Stalls
That new 3D printing law in Washington state is about to go live — but will it affect 3D printing?
Multi Wire FSAM Patent Targets Bigger Metal Builds
A new friction stir additive manufacturing patent proposes a smarter way to feed several metal wires through one rotating tool.
Disney’s Big Bet on Storytelling, Parks and Products
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi explore how Disney’s massive bet on Imagineering, from theme parks to cruise ships, is opening new doors for advanced manufacturing and 3D printing.
SLS Prints Programmable Bonded Magnets
Researchers at Auckland University of Technology’s Additive Manufacturing Research Centre report a field-assisted selective laser sintering approach that 3D prints bonded magnets with locally programmable pole patterns.
Sticky by Design: The 8 Tactics 3D Printer Manufacturers Use to Retain Customers
How do desktop 3D printer manufacturers make their products “sticky”?
Mintion’s Inexpensive V1 Filtration System Reduces FFF 3D Printer Emissions
Mintion has released an inexpensive filtration system for desktop 3D printers.
New MIT AI System Designs Structurally Sound 3D Printable Objects
MIT researchers have developed a system to generate 3D models that can better function in real life when printed.
Design of the Week: Underwater Dive Helmet
This week’s selection is the Underwater Dive Helmet by Hyperspace Pirate.
SLM Titanium Metamaterials Show Bioinspired Energy Gains
Researchers 3D printed bioinspired titanium lattices that absorb more energy and fail more gracefully than many prior designs.
Who’s The Biggest In 3D Printing, March 15, 2026
Once again we take a look at the valuations of the major 3D printing companies over the past week.
Dallas, Texas Is a Drone and 3D Printing Place to Be
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi explore how Dallas, Texas, has quietly become a national hotspot where drone manufacturing and 3D printing converge to drive rapid innovation, scalable production, and defense-focused growth.
Ameralabs Publishes Comprehensive 23-Point Safety Analysis of 3D Printing Resin
Ameralabs has published a fascinating analysis of the toxicity of 3D printer resin.
ISO 14001 Positions Shapeways for Growing Demand in Sustainable Manufacturing
Shapeways achieved an interesting certification last week: ISO 14001.
Noyron Computational Engineering Produces Record-Scale 3D Printed Rocket Engine
LEAP71 continues to break records, this time with the world’s largest 3D-printed aerospike rocket engine.
New Materials and Workflow Platform Strengthen Axtra3D’s Resin Manufacturing Ecosystem
Axtra3D continues to progress with more announcements about new materials and capabilities.
How Could Large Scale Slurry Ceramic 3D Printing Work?
A new Open Ceramics research paper examines how sand binder jetting already supports series production and what it will take to industrialize slurry-based ceramic 3D printing.
Hands On with Helio Additive and 3D-Fuel PCTG
We had the opportunity to check out Helio Additive’s fascinating 3D print optimization tool with 3D-Fuel’s PCTG material. Before we get into the details, let’s set the background of each of these two products. PCTG? What’s PCTG? Everyone is familiar with the typical desktop 3D print materials: PLA, PETG, TPU, ABS. Others may know of… Continue reading Hands On with Helio Additive and 3D-Fuel PCTG
Huistone Patent Targets Large Area Resin Printing Economics
A new Chinese patent application describes a way to make large format resin systems much cheaper.
Why Recycling 3D Printed Plastic Remains Difficult Despite Growing Interest
Everyone wants to recycle their 3D prints, but it is quite difficult to do so. Here’s why.
Industry Investment is Reshaping US Research: Roche’s Expansion at Harvard and the Additive Manufacturing in Pharma
Charles R. Goulding and Aaron Rofe… reveal how overlooked incentives can quietly turn everyday operations into major savings.
NiTi TPMS Sheet Lattices Promise Lightweight Performance
Researchers report laser powder bed fused NiTi TPMS sheet lattices with promising lightweight metrics that could reshape energy-absorbing and compliant structures.
ICON Launches Titan 3D Concrete Printer Designed for Two-Storey Building Construction
ICON announced today the commercial availability of Titan, their latest and greatest 3DCP system.
Antscan Contains Thousands of Downloadable 3D Models of Insects
Do you like ants? Do you like 3D printing? There’s a solution available.
Patent Proposes Software-Based Method for Sidewall Color Mixing in Multi-Nozzle FFF Printing
A new Chinese patent application suggests standard multi nozzle FFF systems could produce richer sidewall colors without adding any new hardware.
Booz Allen’s US$300M Andreessen Horowitz Investment and the Role of 3D Printing in National Security Innovation
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi argue that Booz Allen’s Andreessen Horowitz investment proves 3D printing and AI are no longer experimental—they are becoming core defense infrastructure.
Researchers Explore Use of Digital Twins For Resin 3D Printers
Researchers have developed a method of using digital twins to significantly improve resin 3D printing results, but there’s some challenges in doing so.
Natural Language Mechanical Design: FusionMCP Demonstrates AI-Driven CAD
A fascinating proof-of-concept shows how CAD could be done via AI in the future.
New Creality Patent Proposes Swappable Multi Nozzle Module For FFF
A newly filed Creality patent describes a modular FFF printhead that treats filament changes like tool changes.
Breaking the $99 Barrier in 3D Printing
Could we soon see a “real” 3D printer priced less than US$100?
3D Printing Meets Embryo Screening: Additive Manufacturing in IVF and Reproductive Medicine
Anthony Palumbo and Charles Goulding examine how additive manufacturing is accelerating embryo screening and IVF innovation by enabling high-resolution microfluidic lab-on-a-chip platforms, biocompatible culture scaffolds, and next-generation cryopreservation and micromanipulation tools.
Robotic Arm 3D Food Printing Targets Kitchen Automation
Researchers examined the idea of using robotic arms for 3D food printing and what it would really take to automate kitchens.
QC2A Desktop 3D Printer Brings Full-Color 3D Printing Below US$10K
An incredibly interesting full-colour 3D printer suddenly appeared on Kickstarter.
Creality Introduces Ender-3 V4 Combo
Creality snuck out a new desktop 3D printer: the Ender-3 V4 Combo.
Polymaker’s Advanced Filament Selection Tool Includes Color Matching and Material Comparison
Anyone selecting a filament product from Polymaker can now use an incredibly powerful assistant.
Design of the Week: Lego Landmine
This week’s selection is the Lego Landmine by YouTuber Luke Creatives.
Green Additive Manufacturing For Circular Medical Devices
Researchers detailed a roadmap for a greener additive manufacturing of medical devices and explain how circularity could change from merely an idea to a regular practice.
Who’s The Biggest In 3D Printing, March 8, 2026
Once again we take a look at the valuations of the major 3D printing companies over the past week.
Velo3D’s Website Hacked!
Velo3D’s website has been hacked.
How 3D Printing Innovation in Prosthetics Led from CU Labs to Hanger’s Acquisition of Point Designs
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi examine Hanger’s 2025 acquisition of Point Designs, tracing its University of Colorado origins, its advanced 3D printed prosthetic finger portfolio, and how improving federal reimbursement trends are accelerating innovation in prosthetics and orthotics. In a move that underscores the rapid maturation of 3D printing in prosthetic care, Point Designs… Continue reading How 3D Printing Innovation in Prosthetics Led from CU Labs to Hanger’s Acquisition of Point Designs
Feature Suggestion: Automatic Random Model Placement
There’s a feature I want in every FFF 3D print slicing tool, and so should you.
3D Printed Ceramic Array Converts Water Flow into Measurable Electrical Signals
Researchers have found an unusual 3D printable material that generates electricity in flowing water.
Dual Laser LPBF Targets Support Free Overhang Quality
A new dual laser Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) concept proposes printing overhangs with micro spot precision while the bulk runs faster with a higher power beam.
Flashforge’s Hidden Filament Cutter Reclaims FFF Build Area
A newly published patent from Flashforge describes a filament cutting mechanism that stays out of the build area until the instant it is needed.
Bioinspired AM Boosts Robotic Limb Stiffness And Sensing
A new paper in Bioinspiration & Biomimetics describes a bioinspired, additive approach for robotic limbs that increases structural stiffness while improving built-in strain sensing, hinting at lighter, smarter actuators and manipulators with fewer add-ons and less wiring.
Hands On with the Kobra X Desktop 3D Printer, Part 3
My review of the Kobra X desktop 3D printer from Anycubic concludes with a look at software, print results and final thoughts. This is part three of a three-part series; please read parts one and two. Anycubic Kobra X Software It is time to add the Anycubic app to my phone and desktop slicer to… Continue reading Hands On with the Kobra X Desktop 3D Printer, Part 3
Hands On with the Kobra X Desktop 3D Printer, Part 2
My look at the Kobra X desktop 3D printer from Anycubic continues with setup, calibration and operations. This is part two of a three-part series; please read parts one and three. Anycubic Kobra X Setup and Calibration The first thing to do after powering up the Kobra X is to bind it to your Anycubic… Continue reading Hands On with the Kobra X Desktop 3D Printer, Part 2
Hands On with the Kobra X Desktop 3D Printer, Part 1
I was able to try out the brand new Kobra X desktop 3D printer from Anycubic. This is part one of a three-part series; please read parts two and three. Anycubic Kobra X Background Anycubic is a well-known major manufacturer of high-performance desktop 3D printers and accessories, both using filament and resin materials. Their strategy… Continue reading Hands On with the Kobra X Desktop 3D Printer, Part 1
When No Two Spines Are Alike: Inside the First AI-Designed Cervical Implant
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi unpack how AI-driven design and additive manufacturing are changing how surgeons think about fit, fusion, and recovery.
SOLen 3D Printed Soft Optical Sensor For Mechanosensing
Researchers unveiled SOLen, a 3D printed soft optical sensor that guides light with an internal lens for mechanosensing.
Creality Officially Launches Filament Maker M1 and Shredder R1 Recycling System
It’s official: Creality has released their filament recycling system, the Filament Maker M1 and Shredder R1.
Someone Just Patented 3D Printing Moon Dirt
A surprising new patent proposes an end to end “field factory” that can turn regolith, sand, and scrap into parts using spectroscopy plus automation.
Global Patchwork of 3D Printing Legislation Could Stall Technology Progress
We’ve been hearing about legislation in various regions that could disrupt 3D printing, but where are these bills now? We took a look.
Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Expansion and 3D Printing
Charles R. Goulding and Leah Nabangi reveal how 3D printing is helping Nigeria’s oil and gas sector cut downtime, localize spare parts, and unlock the full value of historic investments in production and refining.
Researchers Test 3D Printed Milling Cutter With Conformal Cooling
A new study tests a laser powder bed fused milling cutter with conformal cooling, a design aimed at cooler, longer running cuts for demanding materials.
Detoxified Asbestos Cement Becomes PLA Filler For 3D Printing
A research team proposes using detoxified asbestos cement as a depolymerization regulating filler in PLA composites for 3D printing.
Third-Party Software Marks New Phase in 3D Concrete Printing Development
3DCP technology continues to improve, and it’s not only on the hardware side.
Tikkun Olam Makers Opens New Innovation Center in New York City
Tikkun Olam Makers opened a new innovation hub in New York City.
From Harbor Views to Hard Truths: The Future of 3D Printing on Display
Charles R. Goulding shares firsthand insights from a snow-disrupted yet high-energy gathering where additive manufacturing leaders tackled geopolitics, cybersecurity, capital markets, and industry consolidation head-on.
AI Sensor Fusion Boosts 3D Printing Fault Detection
New research describes multimodal sensor fusion for AI-based fault detection in 3D printing.
Bambu Lab Opens Physical Retail Concept Store as Desktop 3D Printing Matures
Bambu Lab opened a physical retail store in China, and now we can see what’s in it.
3DQue Introduces Lifetime Licensing Option for AutoFarm3D
3DQue now has a new option for growing 3D print farms.
New York Times Examines Desktop Metal Collapse and Its Impact on Additive Manufacturing Investment
Mass media has now noticed the biggest problem in the additive manufacturing space: hype. A detailed report in the New York Times describes the unfortunate saga of Desktop Metal that unfolded over the past five years. If you’re not familiar, here’s a quick recap. Before 2020, 3D printing of metal was possible, but extremely expensive,… Continue reading New York Times Examines Desktop Metal Collapse and Its Impact on Additive Manufacturing Investment
Design of the Week: Styxosaurus
This week’s selection is the Styxosaurus project by the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre.
LM PAEK Can Outperforms PEEK In Certain Applications
A Drexel-led team showed that porous PAEK knee revision topologies can be 3D printed using the FFF process strong enough for demanding loads.
Who’s The Biggest In 3D Printing, March 1, 2026
Once again we take a look at the valuations of the major 3D printing companies over the past week.
From Market Headwinds to Measured Recovery: AM’s 2026 Inflection Point
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi explain how manufacturing fundamentals, AI-driven design, and a renewed focus on reliability and workflow integration are defining the industry’s next phase.
Stratasys Patents Low Temperature PolyJet Modeling Materials
Stratasys has filed a patent that targets a surprising bottleneck in PolyJet 3D printing: the need to run hot just to keep materials jettable.
Fugo Precision 3D’s Centrifugal Resin 3D Printing with Integrated Wash and Cure
Fugo Precision 3D offers the most unusual resin 3D printing process: it’s centrifugal.
Analysis Finds Rapid Growth in 3DCP Adoption Across Multiple Regions
The number of 3DCP projects worldwide is expanding quickly.
ORNL Develops Multiplexed Extrusion System to Increase Large-Format 3D Printing Speeds
Researchers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a unique multiplexing extrusion system.
Researchers 3D Print Plug And Play Electrochemical Device
A research team unveiled MICRO, a one step multimaterial 3D printed electrochemical device designed for on site analysis and drug screening.
Enormous 3D Print Farm in China Demonstrates Ultra High-Volume Additive Manufacturing
A hint of what’s to come was shown in a Chinese news piece about a rather large 3D print farm.
3dfabs Revives Distributed 3D Printing Network Model
Remember 3D Hubs? It’s gone, but now that functionality returns with 3dfabs.
Patent Proposes Lights Out Implant 3D Printing
A new patent filing describes an AI driven 3D printer that could automate patient specific implant production with minimal human touch time.
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base: Ohio’s Tech Powerhouse Meets 3D Printing Innovation
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi report on how Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is pushing additive manufacturing from the lab to the flight line with real, deployable 3D printed parts.
Reinforcement Learning Tames DLP Peel Forces For Fragile Prints
A new research paper proposes geometry adaptive reinforcement learning to reduce peel forces in Digital Light Processing (DLP) resin printing to save fragile features and increase lift success for resin workflows.
Prusa Launches Highly Abrasive PETG Ultraglow Green
Prusa has introduced Prusament PETG Ultraglow Green, a glow filament it claims is the brightest on the market — with a major concern for wear on hardware.
Snapmaker Patent Targets Faster Multi Color FFF Switching
Snapmaker has filed a patent that tries to make multicolor FFF printing less wasteful without slowing the job to a crawl.
NVIDIA Invests in Freeform to Advance AI-Driven Metal Additive Manufacturing
Freeform has obtained a massive investment boost, and the backers include NVIDIA.
From Procurement to Production: The Pentagon’s US$1 Billion Bet on Capacity
Charles R. Goulding and Nimra Shakoor explain how L3Harris’ decades-long commitment to 3D printing helped position it at the center of a new government-backed model for defense readiness.
Multimodal AI Sensor Fusion Targets 3D Print Faults
Researchers have proposed a multimodal sensor fusion approach to AI-based fault detection in 3D printing, aiming to push AM monitoring closer to reliable, Industry 4.0 operation.
Prusa Details XL Roadmap, Prices, And Toolheads
Prusa Research is positioning the Original Prusa XL for a bigger 2026 by contrasting it with the newer INDX system and teasing new, non-FFF toolheads.
Dyze Design Patents Modular Motion Control For AM
Dyze Design has filed a patent application that reads like a blueprint for turning a 3D printer into a data driven, self aware machine tool.
Velo3D Lands US$11.5M Defense Production Deal
Velo3D has won an US$11.5 million contract to deliver metal additive components for a US defense prime’s program moving into full-rate production.
A New Chapter at Caltech: Research Leadership and Advanced Manufacturing
Charles R. Goulding and Andressa Bonafe spotlight Caltech and its visionary approach to leadership with the appointment of Ray Jayawardhana as its next president.
3D Printed Pipe Embeds Heater And Sensor For Space
A European team demonstrated a 3D printed, spacecraft-grade pipe segment with an embedded heater and temperature sensor to streamline thermal loop integration.
Creality’s CFS-C Eliminates Hot-End Purging with New Remote Cutting Approach
Creality has taken up the “no waste printing” problem quite differently with their new CFS-C.
MIT Engineers 3D Print Fully Functional Electric Motor
MIT engineers have 3D printed a working electric motor.
Canadian APMA Unveils Two 3D-Printed Electric SUV Demonstrators Under Project Arrow Initiative
There’s a new 3D-printed car.
Design of the Week: Ancient Roman Game
This week’s selection is the Ancient Roman Game by Reddit contributor melig1991.
3D Printed Dissolving Microneedles
Researchers used 3D printed tooling to create dissolving microneedles that deliver drugs through the cheek.
Who’s The Biggest In 3D Printing, February 22, 2026
Once again we take a look at the valuations of the major 3D printing companies over the past week.