Editorials / Opinions
The Silver Lining on 3D Printing’s Current Market Situation
I have had the pleasure of spending a good part of my career in 3D printing, mainly with technology vendors. Lately, the whole industry seems a bit down in the…
Will Formlabs Go Public? 3D Printing Double Unicorn Reinforced by Microsoft CMO as Board Member
Alright, I’ll say what you’re thinking: they’re definitely going to go public. Today, Formlabs announced that Chris Capossela, Microsoft’s Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, is set to join…
RIP 3D Printing: 1987 – 2023, Complexity is Expensive
This is not clickbait; it’s a public service announcement. Where there was once a bustling activity, now there’s a noticeable quiet. People are revising their resumes for LinkedIn, and budgets…
I Have a Question about 3D Printed Meat
For several years, 3D printed meat and other foods have garnered significant attention, fueling both innovation and investment. Companies in this space have gone public and secured tens of millions…
What Align’s Acquisition of Cubicure Means for Dental 3D Printing
The recent acquisition of Cubicure by American dental giant Align Technology sent a palpable shockwave through the industry, yet in many ways, it was a move that made perfect sense….
Will BASF Sell or Spin out its 3D Printing Unit?
BASF recently announced impressive growth for its 3D Printing Solutions division, reporting a 39% increase for the period and a 51% rise in its materials business. Following a 43% year-over-year…
Why 3D Printing? Human Needs and Industrial Transformation
I sometimes find myself more intrigued by “know-why” than “know-how.” As a believer in the burgeoning role of additive manufacturing (AM) in future production, I’ve spent time exploring ‘how’—how to…
Stimulating 3D Printing Supply Chains: Resilient and Portable
Recently, 3D printing has been intensely examined by governments, military planners, and large corporations. The focus is on enhancing supply chain resilience, especially in light of potential disruptions such as…
China and the U.S.: How to Win the Second Cold War
Still the dominant superpower, the U.S. is nonetheless inefficient, slow to develop new military gear, and beset with issues associated with supply chain complexity and highly intricate kit. As detailed…
Eco-Friendly 3D Printing: Beat the Heat with 3D Printed Thermal Solutions
On the fourth day of record high temperatures, which are “probably the warmest in 100,000 years,” the conjecture and oil company fog surrounding climate change was breaking. You may not…
China and the US: Disrupting the US Military
Previously in this series, we’ve looked at how the U.S. spends the most on its military, while China may very well gain on it by developing technology more rapidly and…
Faster Wealth Creation with 3D Printing
When additive manufacturing (AM) was a sparkling new technology in the eyes of the world. it was 3D printing’s nerdy vocabulary that titillated other ears. But, now, our industry needs…
China and the US: The Second Cold War
As we’ve discussed in a previous article in this series, there has been increased confrontation between the U.S. and China. Mistrust and China’s technological and economic rise have resulted in…
There Is a Surprising Threat to 3D Printing R&D in the U.S.
Additive manufacturing (AM) is a young and flourishing technology and there is a great deal of ongoing research and development (R&D) being performed. AM patents are growing at a 36%…
A Composite Reckoning of Titanic Proportions
Over the past few days, much of the world has been glued to their respective screens. The drama centered on a submarine, the Titanic, and a terribly mystery. People have…
Consultant John Barnes on a Stratasys Merger: “We Have to Keep 3D Printing Human”
The additive manufacturing (AM) industry is on the cusp of some momentous merger activity coming to fruition. We do not know what will happen yet, but the consequences will be…
The Half-Life of Things: Taking on Landfill Culture with 3D Printing
My parents had the same egg timer for my entire youth. It was a little, happy chicken-shaped plastic thing made in Europe. When, after 20 years or so, it broke,…
3D Printing Enters the North American Workforce at RAPID + TCT 2023
As North America’s leading trade show dedicated to 3D printing, RAPID + TCT represents a unique glimpse into the development of the additive manufacturing (AM) industry on the continent. This…
How 3D Printing Could Help Alleviate the Leather Crisis in Fashion – My Journey 3D Printing a Purse with Stratasys Direct
Have you ever had an idea met with this response: “Oh this is just one of your big, crazy pipedreams”? Or, “This idea is stupid.” Or, “You’ll never be able…
Additive Manufacturing in Guam – A Path to Economic Diversity for the Island
President Biden released a FY 2024 budget that prioritizes a vision for prosperity, security, and resilience in the Indo-Pacific region. Few understand the impact these values will have on local…
3D Print Flip-Flops, Not Shoes
Many startups, fashion brands, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and large shoe companies are working on 3D printed shoes. I love the optimism and the fact that this could one day…
Bambu 3D Printer Killers: Pandamonium (or the Desktop 3D Printing Revolution After All)
The launch of the P1P 3D printer from Bambu Lab has changed our industry forever. It will shape our industry by bringing about a select group of Pandas, wannabe Bambu…
Bambu Killing 3D Printers: Enter the Killer Pandas
In the previous post in this series, we looked at how Bambu Lab‘s market entry fundamentally altered the 3D printing market. Now, we will look deeper at the effects that…
The State of Open Source 3D Printing: Make Copycats and Freeloaders into Assets
Josef Průša, the founder and CEO of Prusa Research, published an important and thought provoking article titled “The state of open-source in 3D printing in 2023” where he called for…
