Military 3D Printing
3D Printing & the Autonomous Era: Defense Tech’s Latest Mutation
When we last checked in on the broad defense tech landscape and the role of the additive manufacturing (AM) industry in that environment, it became clear that the connecting thread…
ORNL Improves Error Mitigation in Large Polymer Parts
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has commercialized a number of large-format 3D printing technologies. Now, scientists are working on error mitigation in large parts. ORNL is using six thermal cameras…
UAS Additive Strategies: Register by June 30 to Learn About the Hottest Topic in 3D Printing
Last week, drone stocks surged on news that the Trump administration is considering a massive investment in the US unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) industry. Earlier in 2026, the release of…
3D Printing Financials: XTPL Adds New Semiconductor and Defense Customers in Q1 2026
Polish microprinting company XTPL (WSE: XTP) reported first-quarter 2026 revenue of PLN 1.6 million (roughly $441,000) as the company expands into the semiconductor and advanced electronics markets, while also launching…
3D Printing News Briefs, May 30, 2026: RIMPAC 2026, Acquisition, Ceramic Implants, & More
We’re kicking things off with materials news in this weekend’s 3D Printing News Briefs. Then it’s on to a hybrid manufacturing system for a maritime exercise, an expansion of industrial…
DoW Accelerates Drone Readiness with AMTrain Phase 2 Launch at Camp Lejeune
Equipping today’s warfighter with the most advanced technology is paramount, driving increased prioritization and investment in drone development and advanced manufacturing training within the Department of War (DoW). In this…
UltiMaker Targets Defense Manufacturing With New Factor 4 Plus
UltiMaker has announced the new Factor 4 Plus. The printer, which sits above the S series, has a 330 x 240 x 300 mm build volume and a 120-kilo dual-nozzle…
The Arsenal of Democracy is Empty: Enter SOUTHCOM’s Autonomous Warfare Command SAWC
One of the most important things to happen to the US Military in over a decade just happened: SOUTHCOM (The US’ Southern Command responsible for Central America, South America, and…
AM & the Military’s Self-Infliction of Rapid Change
I’ve noted before that the additive manufacturing (AM) market for defense has started to evolve so quickly that it’s impossible to even keep track of all the updates in real…
DMG Mori Joins $10M Defense 3D Printing Program
To look at the Biden administration and the Trump administration that succeeded it and find areas of policy overlap is obviously a bit of a challenge. But such areas certainly…
Where the Money Is Going: The New Infrastructure Landscape
This is Part 1 of a two-part PRO series examining where infrastructure investment is flowing and how those trends are reshaping manufacturing, energy, logistics, and additive manufacturing. Part 2, by…
3D Printing & Drone Dominance: Speed, Performance, and Derisking the Supply Chain
A shift is underway in drone manufacturing. Government programs like the U.S. Department of War’s Drone Dominance, a $1.1 billion effort to deliver low-cost, one-way attack (OWA) sUAS at scale,…
First Containerized System from AML3D Now Operational at US Navy AM CoE
Shipbuilding giant Austal USA recently announced the launch of the Digital SEA (Secure Exchange for Additive) platform, which should play a major role in expanding accessibility to the sorts of…
INDOPACOM Advanced Manufacturing Team Saves Thousands Per Week at Joint Exercise in the Philippines
In the summer of 2025, the US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) opened a new advanced manufacturing facility at Schofield Barracks, the Hawaiian home of the US Army’s 25th Infantry Division. INDOPACOM…
A Hilux for the Seas
With the US turning its back on exquisite, expensive military goods in favor of volume manufacturing of less expensive items, new strategies should come to the fore. But attritable $250,000…
Phillips Federal Participates in Marine Corps Exercise
Phillips Federal will participate in a Marine Corps exercise that will use several additive manufacturing technologies. The 1st Maintenance Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force (IMEF), will…
3Dnatives Announces ADDITIV Defense 2026: A Global Virtual Summit on Additive Manufacturing’s Role in Military Readiness
3Dnatives is proud to announce the inaugural edition of ADDITIV Defense, a global virtual summit dedicated to additive manufacturing in military and defense environments. The free event takes place on…
Top DAWG & SAWC: $54 Billion Replicator Reborn
The Defense Autonomous Warfare Group (DAWG), also called the Defense Autonomous Working Group, may be funded to the tune of $55 billion. Overseen by Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg, this…
3D Printing Should Benefit Greatly as EU Releases €6 Billion for Ukrainian Drones
Drones have changed everything. Case in point: with the aim of preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, the US and Israel initiate airstrikes on the Gulf nation. A couple…
Skuld to Work on DARPA’s Rubble to Rockets (R2R) Program
Skuld will work on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Rubble to Rockets (R2R) Program, which turns scrap metal into missile components. Skuld will help with alloy design, characterization, and…
Fleet Readiness Centers, a Six-Month Metal AM Push, and Shifting Defense Procurement
As I wrote about earlier this month, the Trump administration has requested a record $1.5 trillion in Department of Defense (DoD) funding for FY 2027. In my post about what…
Surge Fulcrum: From Crafting the Exquisite To Forging Swarms at the Edge
If you are due to meet a member of the US government to pitch some 3D printing scheme or other idea, you’d do well to bring a copy of Freedom…
3DPrint.com & AM Research Present: UAS Additive Strategies, Sponsored by EOS
When your work involves a technological field, like additive manufacturing (AM), which still flies under the radar for most people, it can often feel like what you do every day…
Colibrium Additive Gets $31 Million NAVAIR Contract
Colibrium Additive has been awarded a $31 million contract by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR). The contract is part of the Additive Manufacturing Capability initiative, focused on qualification and…
