The women of R&D Tax Savers discuss their experiences covering the 3D printing industry in recent years.
Much has happened in the 3D printing industry these past few years. Globally, the technology has broadly expanded its breadth and skillfully increased its industry acumen. The women of R&D Tax Savers share their views regarding additive manufacturing, 3D printing, and recent client and industry developments.
Andrea Albanese, Director
Our firm has seen widespread integration of 3D printing in recent years. Our clients are increasingly utilizing 3D printing to facilitate prototyping as well as supplement production activities. The applications for 3D printing are continuously expanding. It has been particularly helpful in supporting our clients through supply chain challenges.
I work with leading manufacturers in various industries, including aerospace, composites, and advanced materials, helping companies maximize their R&D Tax Credits each year. As the applications for 3D printing continue to grow, so have the tax savings opportunities through federal and state R&D Credit programs.
It has been exciting to witness the advancements in additive manufacturing firsthand and see 3D printing progress from a prototyping tool to becoming a key part of companies’ manufacturing operations.
Lara Tomiko, Senior Tax Analyst
I have been working on a variety of alternative energy projects, including solar, EV charging, & geothermal, that have qualified for clean energy tax incentives as outlined in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
3D printing offers a unique solution for onshoring the production of solar and geothermal system components, turning what were once global supply chain dependencies into local manufacturing opportunities. Under the IRA, these energy projects qualify for a base Investment Tax Credit (ITC) of up to 30%, with an additional 10 percentage point bonus if they meet Domestic Content requirements (i.e., U.S.-made steel, iron, and manufactured products). Conversely, projects that fall short face a penalty; losing access to this bonus and even having their elective payment credits clawed back by around 10%. In my experience with processing the ITC for our clients’ energy projects, this is by far the biggest challenge. The IRA’s Domestic Content rules were specifically enacted to incentivize onshore manufacturing, and 3D printing could fit perfectly into this strategy.
Preeti Sulibhavi, CPA
With the potential to ultimately replace traditional manufacturing methods (which include subtractive manufacturing), additive manufacturing is demonstrably more efficient and cost-effective, with high-quality results. As the technology continues to improve, I believe that it can be brought to scale in the near future.
Though I have covered this topic for several years now, I’m learning about industries integrating 3D printers that I was previously unaware of. For example, we reported on Canadian shipbuilder Davie, which made headlines with plans to acquire Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corporation’s shipyard assets in Galveston and Port Arthur, Texas. The move represented a significant expansion of its presence in the U.S., with the stated aim of building icebreakers and other complex, mission-critical vessels under U.S. programs. I did not know anything about icebreakers and their critical role in national defense prior to that article.
Covering 3D printing technology for the past few years has revealed how versatile it is and in which ways a wide range of industries have benefited. From biotech to nuclear, the impact of 3D printing is increasingly prevalent. While its footprint is vast, 3D printing has been gaining momentum rather quietly. Previously, mainstream media had not dedicated large pieces to 3D printing. But thanks to outlets like Fabbaloo and firms such as ours, advancements in 3D printing and its numerous benefits are gaining widespread attention.
Mellissa McIntyre, Senior Tax Analyst
R&D Tax Savers provides us with unique opportunities to explore innovations across various industries and topics. Additive manufacturing has particularly captured my interest, and through my recent participation in the DC fly-in, I’ve gained deeper insights into how this technology is leveraged and revolutionizing multiple sectors as well as some of the hurdles those industries have to overcome. Beyond the traditional applications we’ve long supported like prototyping and creating test assemblies, I’ve learned about the industry’s growing focus on strategic national security applications and defense procurement programs that are reshaping how we think about manufacturing resilience.
The fly-in also reinforced my ongoing fascination with healthcare applications, where there have been remarkable advances in personalized medicine. The coalition’s discussions highlighted how bioprinting for tissue engineering is moving from experimental to practical applications, offering more personalized care while addressing our collective need for less expensive and more accessible healthcare solutions.
My home 3D printer continues to serve as a window into the technology’s potential, as my younger siblings bring their inventions and creations to life with increasing sophistication. What struck me was how their natural creativity with the technology demonstrates exactly why advocacy for expanded educational access is so critical. Watching them iterate through designs, learning from trial and error, and having everything they need to bring ideas to life at their fingertips, I see the significance of making this technology widely available in schools across the country. Students who have access to 3D printing in their educational environment develop problem-solving skills, spatial reasoning, and hands-on engineering experience that traditional textbooks simply cannot provide. These are the technical skills and innovative mindsets that will be essential for America’s manufacturing future.
Valentina Alzate, Engineer
My position at R&D Tax Savers has allowed me to learn how 3D printing technology can be applied in different industries. A lot of our clients use 3D printing during the prototyping phase to print multiple iterations of a design for testing. It lets them improve their designs much more quickly than would otherwise be possible. In addition to client work, I have been learning about new advancements related to materials used in 3D printing. One area I found very interesting is the combination of 3D printing with environmentally friendly materials like mycelium. I found one paper describing how waste cardboard, combined with mycelium, could be made into a paste. This paste can be 3D printed and grown into a shape without the need for molds. We previously covered one aspect of mycelium as a sustainable material in our 2023 piece on MycoWorks. Seeing these new advancements is very cool because it opens the door to new methods for minimizing the environmental impact of manufacturing.
Andressa Bonafe, Ph.D., Senior Tax Analyst
In recent years, my work at R&D Tax Savers has enabled me to explore how companies across various industries use 3D printing to drive innovation, efficiency, and flexibility. Lately, I have been particularly interested in how evolving trade policies will impact the adoption of advanced production technologies, especially additive manufacturing. Fascinated by bio-printing, multi-material platforms, and the integration of AI into generative design and workflows, I follow how these trends expand what additive can achieve. With a background in international relations and a PhD in Social Psychology focused on science communication, I bring a multidisciplinary perspective to my work and a commitment to making complex technological advances accessible to broader audiences. Fluent in four languages, I regularly contribute to industry publications and recently co-authored articles on major global aerospace companies, including Safran, Embraer, and Howmet.
Leah Nabangi, Engineer
One of the first topics I researched early on during my time at R&D Tax Savers was Nike’s innovative use of 3D printing in developing high-performance footwear. Back home in Kenya, known for producing world-class long-distance runners, our best have partnered with Nike to push the limits of human performance. Watching Eliud Kipchoge break the two-hour marathon barrier in a prototype of the Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% that involved 3D printing sparked my curiosity about how technology like 3D printing plays a role in innovation. Most recently in 2025, it was intriguing to watch as another Kenyan Icon, Faith Kipyegon, notably debuted Nike’s first-ever 3D printed high-performance apparel, the FlyWeb sports bra, during her attempt to become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes.
With a background in Technology Systems Management, I’ve long been drawn to how industries adopt emerging tools like 3D printing. At R&D Tax Savers, I’ve seen this firsthand, especially in the manufacturing sector, where clients use 3D printing to prototype mechanical parts or streamline design testing. More recently, I’ve had the opportunity to explore how unprecedented U.S government investments could accelerate the growth of the 3D printing industry. With momentum building across sectors, it’s clear that this technology is far from slowing down.
What once felt experimental is now actively reshaping real-world R&D, and it’s rewarding to witness that transformation both in my work and everyday life.
Nirma Shakoor, Engineer
I began with R&D Tax Savers only recently, but have already had the opportunity to cover the recent trend of university consolidation in my first published article on Fabbaloo, Merging Minds and Machines: How Kean and NJCU Could Redefine Tech-Driven Education « Fabbaloo. I have also written about the sneaker industry and its innovative use of 3D printing, and have spotlighted my alma mater, Cornell, with its extensive adoption of additive manufacturing technologies. I am fortunate to be quite familiar with 3D printing, having been involved with it since high school. I am especially excited about applications that align with my background in environmental engineering, such as environmental conservation and carbon-capturing construction technologies. I look forward to engaging with these innovations in my everyday practice at R&D Tax Savers, highlighting developments that bring technologies from research labs into practical, real-world impact.
Kate Esposito, Intern
I am a high school student in my senior year and recently joined R&D Tax Savers as an intern for the summer. Prior to beginning my internship, I had little knowledge of 3D printing or its many uses. However, that quickly changed. On my first day, I began researching the implementation of 3D printing within the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s three biohubs. I learned a plethora of new information regarding 3D bioprinting and how it has been used to create models of tissues and organs to help scientists better understand diseases and cellular signals. I was surprised to discover that not all 3D bioprinters are extremely expensive, as scientists at CZ Biohub San Francisco were able to create one for only US$250 and have since made it readily available to the public. While conducting my research, it became clear that 3D printing is an invaluable tool that has the potential to revolutionize not just medicine but also countless other fields. During my time there, I co-authored 11 more articles on a wide range of topics including Indonesia’s strategy for industrial dominance and how Holtec is essentially reactivating the Palisades and rewriting nuclear history. I am grateful that my time at R&D Tax Savers has helped me better understand this important technology that will certainly become much more widespread in the future.
Conclusion
The impact of 3D printing on the lives of the women of R&D Tax Savers is as diverse as they are. We hope you gained some personal insight into their experiences, as they are personal. The women of R&D Tax Savers have over fifty years of 3D printing experience combined.
