Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a computational framework for designing 3D woven metamaterials that are soft, flexible, and programmable. Unlike traditional metamaterials, which rely on rigidity and lightweight structures, these woven lattices can be tuned fiber by fiber to stretch, bend, or fail in controlled ways, opening new possibilities for […]
Researchers at Penn State University have unveiled a 4D printing method that produces “smart synthetic skin” capable of dynamically changing its shape, texture, and appearance in response to external stimuli. Unlike traditional synthetic materials with fixed properties, this hydrogel-based material can perform multiple functions, from adaptive camouflage to information encryption and mechanical deformation, all within […]
US motorsport organization National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is applying its expertise in additive manufacturing and digital engineering to optimize performance in Winter Olympic luge. By producing life-size 3D printed athlete models, performing CFD simulations, and testing in wind tunnels, NASCAR is helping USA Luge refine sled aerodynamics and athlete positioning to […]
The United States Marine Corps is expanding advanced manufacturing capacity in the Indo-Pacific through a public-private partnership with a Japanese firm designed to produce and repair parts closer to where forces operate. Marine Depot Maintenance Command (MDMC) has signed an agreement with Japanese advanced manufacturing firm MadeHere K.K. to address a persistent problem in military […]
WASP’s construction-focused startup WASP 3D Build has completed the 3D printing of the walls for Itaca, a self-sufficient home billed as Italy’s first certified 3D printed construction. Located at the Shamballa open air laboratory in the hills of Northern Italy, the structure complies with Italian and European construction regulations, including earthquake resistance standards. For 3D […]
Florida State University’s InSPIRE Institute and the Applied Science & Technology Research Organization of America (ASTRO America) have announced the second national 3D Printing Tech Challenge. The 2026 challenge addresses a major constraint in precision additive manufacturing for aerospace and defense: predicting and compensating in LPBF Inconel 718. Participants will work to predict the as-built distortion […]
The Sanjay Mortimer RepRap Festival (SMRRF) is back in Manchester on 7–8 March 2026, uniting makers, engineers, students, and industry players for two days of immersive workshops, hands-on demonstrations, robotics competitions, and a glimpse into the future of 3D printing. Organised by the Sanjay Mortimer Foundation in partnership with PrintCity, SMRRF 2026 will feature a […]
At the Rock Island Arsenal–Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center (RIA-JMTC), U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) is using advanced manufacturing to address critical supply shortages and keep equipment mission-ready. This initiative also expands the technical capabilities of Ordnance Corps personnel, particularly 91E Allied Trades Specialists and 914A Allied Trades Warrant Officers, ensuring they are […]
As 3D printing grows in popularity, creators increasingly face unauthorized copying and sales of their designs. Digital platform and community for 3D printing creators MakerWorld’s new Creator Copyright Protection Program addresses this problem, providing procedural support, streamlined reporting, and international enforcement to help designers protect original models and maintain control over their work. Supporting Creators […]
For AI-generated 3D models, visual completeness does not guarantee physical viability. A mesh that looks coherent on screen can still fail at the slicer stage due to non-manifold edges, thin walls, or ambiguous negative space. As generative systems increase output resolution and complexity, those failure modes become harder to treat as edge cases. They define […]
Nikon has taken close to ¥90bn ($574.7 million) in impairment charges, mostly against its additive manufacturing business, marking a significant retreat from the growth assumptions that underpinned its 2023 acquisition of SLM Solutions. Impairment reflects revised assumptions behind SLM acquisition The writedowns cover goodwill and intangible assets. They stem from a reassessment of future cash […]
3D printed firearms have become a growing concern for law enforcement in recent years. Lawmakers and online platforms have introduced new restrictions targeting both the weapons themselves and the digital files used to produce them. Now two states are attempting to push that strategy further upstream. New York and Washington State are pursuing legislation to […]
3D printing is transforming visual effects by converting digital designs into tangible, highly detailed props with higher speed and precision. For filmmakers, this allows complex scenes to be executed safely, efficiently, and with greater creative flexibility. Netflix’s Stranger Things provides a clear example, using 3D printing for everything from massive set pieces to intricately detailed […]
Italian eyewear and sports gear company Rudy Project is celebrating 40 years of performance eyewear with the Performance 40, a limited-edition model that combines the brand’s 1985 design DNA with modern production techniques. Limited to 100 units worldwide and priced at €950, the frame features a lightweight titanium structure produced using 3D printing, allowing lattice […]
National additive manufacturing accelerator America Makes, in collaboration with the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), announced that the University of Dayton Research Institute has been awarded $450,000 under the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate (AFRL(RXN)) project. The effort is part of the Affordable and Agile Composite Additive Manufactured Structures […]
An interdisciplinary team at Cornell University is developing a method to 3D print concrete directly underwater, aiming to enable faster, lower-impact construction and repair of critical subsea infrastructure such as ports, pipelines, and offshore energy assets. Supported by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the project combines materials science, robotics, and 3D printing […]
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, ETH Zurich, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, the National University of Singapore, and Koç University have developed an optofluidic 3D microfabrication and nanofabrication technique that enables the creation of fully three-dimensional microstructures from a wide range of materials, including metal nanoparticles, metal oxides, diamond nanoparticles, and […]
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are using large-scale 3D printing methods that turn recycled plastic into construction-grade beams, trusses, and other structural elements. The team envisions lightweight, modular alternatives to traditional wood-based framing that are faster to produce, more durable, and environmentally sustainable. “We’ve estimated that the world needs about 1 billion […]
A new World Economic Forum (WEF) report includes AM in its policy recommendations aimed at strengthening regional manufacturing capabilities and supply chain flexibility. Developed with consulting firm Kearney and drawing on consultations with over 100 industry and government leaders and survey data from more than 300 global executives, the Global Value Chains Outlook 2026: Orchestrating […]
E3D, a UK-based manufacturer of extrusion systems and hardware used in filament-based 3D printing, has been selected to participate in the Innovate UK Business Growth Scaleup Programme, an invitation-only initiative supporting a limited number of fast-growing, innovation-led companies. The programme provides tailored, director-level support to fewer than 100 businesses identified as having the capacity to […]
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