John Hauer
NP Swabs Prove 3D Printing’s Scalability and Speed-to-Market Advantages
A year ago, if you would have asked anyone in our industry what they thought might be a future killer application, it’s highly doubtful that anyone would have replied with,…
Materials Companies Get Serious at RAPID 2019
Still reeling from a flurry of activity at RAPID 2019, I thought I’d share a thought that occurred to me at the show. Materials companies are getting serious about additive…
Casting New Light on Killer Applications
If there’s one constant throughout my career in both 2D and 3D printing, it’s that the key to growth lies in the ability to uncover and exploit “killer applications.” Nowadays…
Five Steps 3D Printing Service Bureaus Should Take to Keep Their Customers and Grow Their Business
Now is a great time to start a 3D printing service bureau! Over the past decade, many independent shops were acquired and there was significant industry consolidation. But recently, new…
3D Hubs Fumbles with Automated Selection
3D Hubs in in a bit of a pickle. Their crowdsourced model enables consumers to choose from a big list of suppliers, but all that choice leads to friction. As…
The Huge Opportunity For Color In 3D Printing
I think there is tremendous opportunity for color in 3D printing. Here’s why. “For digital (2D) printing, the big tipping point was affordable color. I think the same will be…
Two of 3D Printing’s Biggest Lies
“Complexity is free” and “the cost is flat” are two of the biggest lies in 3D printing. Neither is true, and I’m going to prove it. Right now. MARKETING AND…
Chicken and Egg: The Resources vs. Revenue Dilemma in 3D Printing
You can’t have the resources until you get the revenue. Capturing revenue without resources is incredibly difficult. Chicken meets egg. It’s a problem I’ve been solving most of my adult…
Burning Down The House: Is Desktop 3D Printing Safe?
Over the years I’ve written a lot about the safety of desktop 3D printing. When Underwriters Laboratory announced plans to enter the market, I covered it. When Dremel launched the…
The Where and the Who in 3D Printing
A lot of progress has been made in 3D printing over the last five years. But much of that has been focused on the “what.” What printing technology? What materials?…
AMUG: Between a Rock and Hard Place
Looking for a conference where you can learn more about 3D printing? AMUG would be on almost anyone’s list of recommendations. There’s just one catch though. If your company doesn’t…
Truly Advanced Manufacturing: How Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality and 3D Printing Might Combine to Change the Way We Make…Things
A team of Australian scientists recently announced plans to use 3D printing and virtual reality to bring a dinosaur back to life. No, it won’t actually be alive, but it…
Did a 3D Printer Just Kill People?
No. A story this weekend from CBS’ San Francisco affiliate KPIX first reported the death of Roger and Valerie Morash of Berkeley. The article claimed that a “source said that…
Could Portability Bring New Power to 3D Printing?
I’m back from CES 2017, and my head is full of ideas. I’ll do a more formal wrap, but I thought I’d start with a few observations, and potentially, an…
3D Printing at CES 2017
I’m traveling to Las Vegas today for my annual pilgrimage to CES. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s the USA’s largest trade show. Over 165,000 people will attend the event to see…
3D Printing and the Educational Market
In 3D printing, there are four places to make a play. Whether you’re a startup, an existing company looking to enter the space, or an investor with a taste for…
Promoting 3D Printing With 3D Printing
It seems any time a conversation about desktop 3D printing comes up, somebody will utter the words, “toys & tchotchkes.” You can almost feel the air deflate from the conversation….
Why W23DP Is The Critical Next Step In 3D Printing
A few weeks ago I was invited to attend a private event for 3D printing industry analysts and press. Our hosts put on an amazing show. It was also a…
Let’s Get Real About TCO
Here in Cincinnati, we’re about to get a streetcar. Exciting, right? Never mind the fact that we used to have them decades ago, but got rid of them because buses…
America Makes…Excuses
I didn’t plan to write a follow up article about America Makes. Their “pay to play” strategy creates a big barrier for startups, which I feel are critical to the…
America Makes…Money
Familiar with America Makes? It bills itself as “the national accelerator for additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing (3DP),” and “the nation’s leading and collaborative partner in AM and 3DP…
How 3D Printing Becomes Normal and Ordinary
I thought I’d start this article with a quote from one of my absolute favorite science fiction writers ever (Kurt Vonnegut is a very close second!) “I’ve come up with…
UL at UofL: AMCC Opens In Louisville
A couple of weeks ago I was cruising my LinkedIn feed and noticed a post from Matthew Pasha. He’s the Marketing Manager for Digital Manufacturing Technologies at Underwriters Laboratories (UL)….
3D Printing at CES — Part Two: The Printers
Have I mentioned how much I love going to the Consumer Electronics Show? Not only do I get to geek out on all the amazing gadgets, but I get an…
