A short history of additive manufacturing and why it matters today
How patents from the 1980s kept 3D printing in the hands of a few companies for decades, what changed when they expired between 2009 and 2014, and why...
Topics
Market and investment
Analysis by Svetozar Kolesar
How much does an industrial SLS, MJF or SAF printer really cost?
A comparison of industrial SLS, MJF and SAF machines through real cost of ownership, service, packing density, materials and the financial health of...
Metal 3D Printing in the Defense Industry, Six Technologies You Should Know
I have been following this industry for ten years. This is the first in a series of three texts on additive manufacturing in the defense industry, and it...
Plastic 3D Printing in the Defense Industry, Six Technologies You Should Know
This is the second text in the series on additive manufacturing in the defense industry. The first text covered metal 3D printing, this one covers plastic....
Software that makes the difference in additive manufacturing
Industrial additive manufacturing does not work seriously without a dedicated software layer for build preparation, simulation, machine control and quality...
The Real State of Additive Manufacturing in the Region, a View from the Inside
What additive manufacturing really looks like in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Kosovo. A view from more than ten years of...
Trends in Metal 3D Printing
Metal 3D printing is growing, but slower and more selectively than predicted. What independent reports show for 2025 and 2026, who drives growth and what it means for companies in the region.
What Vendor Neutral Means in Additive Manufacturing
In additive manufacturing, being Vendor Neutral means choosing machines on merit, not brand loyalty. Here is what that actually requires in practice.
Why 90 Percent of Companies Get 3D Printing Wrong
Most companies buy a 3D printer because of the technology, not the numbers. Here are the three paths you can take, real figures from the automotive...
Latest news
Nikon AM to build two-meter metal printers for Tomahawk missile mid-bodies
Nikon Advanced Manufacturing has received a US Department of War contract to deliver several customized laser powder bed fusion systems with a build height of two meters. They are meant for Tomahawk Land Attack Missile mid-bodies and similar parts. The work will run at the company's Long Beach technology center, with the department funding the large-format capacity directly.
Xact Metal opens orders for XM300G mid-size metal printer, deliveries from mid-2027
Xact Metal began taking orders on 23 October 2026 for the XM300G, a larger laser powder bed fusion system, with first shipments planned for mid-2027. The company also reported its strongest order quarters so far in Q2 and Q3 2026. The move extends its low-cost LPBF approach for smaller manufacturers to bigger parts and higher volumes.
Aurora Labs raises A$6 million to move 3D printed turbojets into series production
Aurora Labs, an Australian metal additive manufacturing company, is raising A$6 million through a share placement to expand production of its AU4 turbojet engines for defence and aerospace customers. The money will fund production lines, commercial metal printing equipment and staff. The raise shows a shift from selling printing technology to manufacturing engines, while the company's annual revenue remains small.
Freemelt lands SEK 28 million order for 7,000 printed tungsten parts from ESS
Swedish electron beam specialist Freemelt has won a SEK 28 million order (about $2.8 million) from the European Spallation Source. It covers 7,000 tungsten parts for the facility's target wheel, delivered over 14 months, mostly in 2027. The order is production volume for a metal that is still mostly handled in research and qualification projects.
Trade media panel on China's 3D printing industry now available on YouTube
Representatives of several additive manufacturing trade media met on 27 October 2026 for a joint discussion on the state of the industry in China. The project manager of Formnext Asia Shenzhen took part, and Johannes Gartner, co-founder of 3Druck.com, moderated. The 90-minute recording is now on YouTube.
ELEGOO enters 3D scanning with the M1 Ultra handheld scanner at EUR 1,699
ELEGOO, known for consumer 3D printers, has launched its first handheld 3D scanner, the M1 Ultra. It has an on-device touchscreen, wireless operation and companion software that turns scans into models in one step. It went on sale on 29 October 2026 at EUR 1,699, with a lower price until 12 November.
Farsoon plans $479M raise, with most new metal printers kept for its own service arm
Farsoon Technologies has filed to raise up to RMB 3.91 billion (about $478.7 million) through a private placement. The money would fund more printer capacity, an integrated additive manufacturing service platform and a global operations centre. Filing details show that in the first year 92% of the new standard metal printers would be used internally, which changes how production and sales figures should be read.
Protolabs 3D printing revenue returns to growth at $22.4M in Q3 2026
Protolabs reported record Q3 2026 revenue of $154.3 million, up 14 percent year over year. Its 3D printing segment grew 11.4 percent to $22.4 million after flat or shrinking quarters, driven by metal AM and HP Multi Jet Fusion. It still grew slowest of the three service lines, though only narrowly behind injection molding.
AMCRC forum in Adelaide: Australia must turn AM research into commercial supply
The Additive Manufacturing CRC (AMCRC) held its 2026 Additive Manufacturing Forum in Adelaide with about 200 attendees. Panels agreed that Australia does research well but must commercialise more, with clearer demand signals from government and more local industrial capacity such as powder production. The event comes as the country prepares for submarine work and faces a weakening manufacturing base.
Firehawk raises over 150 million dollars to develop 3D printed rocket propellants
US defence company Firehawk Defense has raised more than 150 million US dollars in a Series D funding round, valuing the company at over 1.4 billion US dollars. Advent and Rochefort Asset Management led the round. The capital is intended in particular to expand a manufacturing approach in which thermoplastic rocket propellants can also be processed by 3D printing. The teaser gives no further details on volumes, customers or timelines.
Materialise Q3: medical grows 9.7% while higher R&D spending trims profit
Materialise reported third-quarter 2026 revenue of €67.7 million, up 2.1%, or 4.9% after removing the divested RapidFit and Eyewear businesses. Medical drove the growth and series production in manufacturing rose, but net profit fell to €1.38 million as R&D spending climbed and software sales weakened. The full-year guidance was left unchanged.
Metal share of funded Chinese AM suppliers rises as US aerospace funding holds steady
An AMPulse analysis of equity financing from 2021 to 2025 shows diverging patterns in China and the United States. In China, the number of funded AM suppliers fell from 117 in 2021-2022 to 100 in 2024-2025, while metal-focused companies rose from 49 to 53. Their share grew from about 42% to 53%, and polymer-focused recipients dropped from 46 to 16. In the US, metal's share stayed near 28%. The number of funded US companies fell from 90 in 2021 to 61 in 2025, but aerospace and defense recipients held between 18 and 21 each year, rising to about 34% of the 2025 cohort. The analysis counts recorded recipients, not invested sums. It also notes that services make up about 53% of the $16 billion AM market in 2025 per AM Research, while service companies show a much lower rate of recorded funding events than hardware companies.
Align starts US pilot of directly 3D printed sports mouthguards as Q3 revenue passes $1B
Align Technology has begun a US pilot of the Invisalign Sports Guard, a custom mouthguard that is 3D printed directly from an iTero scan instead of over a printed model. The company reported third-quarter 2026 revenue of $1.015 billion, up 1.9%, and named Jennifer L. Davis as CEO from 31 December, succeeding Joe Hogan. The move extends direct printing beyond orthodontic treatment.
BigRep leaves the stock market and opens orders for the ALTRA 670 printer
BigRep, the Berlin maker of large-format industrial printers, is private again about two years after its listing, now owned by three family investors that already backed it. At the same time it opened worldwide orders for the ALTRA 670, a machine with a 1200 x 700 x 800 mm build volume for technical polymers. The company reports revenue up about 45% over twelve months.
BigRep back in family hands after a short listing, adds ALTRA 670 large-format printer
BigRep, the large-format FFF printer maker, is private again two years after its SPAC listing in Frankfurt. The company reports about 45% revenue growth over the past year and opens orders for the ALTRA 670, a high-temperature system with a 1200 × 700 × 800 mm build volume. Three family-owned investors now hold the majority.
ELEGOO to show Centauri Carbon 2 and Orangestorm Giga at Formnext in hall 12
ELEGOO will exhibit at Formnext 2026 in Frankfurt from 17 to 20 November, at booth 12.0-C02. The desktop maker plans to show the Centauri Carbon 2 Combo, an emoji co-branded edition and the Orangestorm Giga, plus new machines making their debut. The booth is to include live demonstrations, daily talks and prize draws.
Bambu Lab to enter 3D scanning with S1, due in November 2026
Bambu Lab is preparing its first 3D scanner, called the S1, for release in November 2026. Details are scarce so far: the company has only put up a teaser image on its official website. The move would take the printer maker into a market it has not served before.
AMinsider podcast joins 3Dnatives media network
The AMinsider podcast, which covers additive manufacturing, is now part of the 3Dnatives media group. According to the announcement, the show will continue to explore the industry together with the people who use these technologies. The stated aim is to keep listeners informed about new developments in the sector. The report gives no details on format changes, hosts, release schedule or commercial terms. The move adds an audio channel to 3Dnatives' existing editorial offering for the additive manufacturing community.
Reshoring gives buyers options, but who pays AM suppliers for readiness?
An analysis of US reshoring data argues that customers may value the option to produce domestically more than a firm commitment to do so. Suppliers such as service bureaus carry the cost of being ready, while buyers keep the flexibility. Private equity consolidation and mixed results at Protolabs and Xometry show where the money is flowing.
AM-Europe names first Steering Committee at its inaugural plenary
AM-Europe, the additive manufacturing initiative run by CECIMO, has appointed its first Steering Committee. The decision came at the first plenary meeting since the June 2026 launch. The group draws on national industry associations and is meant to set strategy and strengthen Europe's voice in EU policymaking.
Review: Formlabs Form Studio 1 brings a 699 dollar resin printer with closed-ecosystem focus
A Tom's Hardware review of the Formlabs Form Studio 1, the company's first consumer-level resin printer, praises its walk-away printing, large touchscreen and cartridge-based resin handling. The printer starts at 699 US dollars and is built around Formlabs' own Alpha resins, though an open material mode allows third-party resins with extra calibration. The reviewer notes a somewhat flimsy hood mount as the main hardware weakness.
California sues filament maker Polymaker over alleged marketing to ghost gun makers
San Diego County Counsel filed a civil suit on October 5, 2026, on behalf of California against Polymaker, a major filament producer based in Shanghai with US operations in Houston. The complaint argues that the company's marketing turned ordinary PLA into a regulated firearm precursor part. The outcome could affect how material and hardware suppliers are held liable for what customers print.
California signs law on firearm detection in 3D printers, tied to a future ASTM standard
California has enacted a law that will oblige 3D printer makers to build in features that block firearm printing, but only after ASTM International issues a standard for such technology. It is the second US state to do so after New York. Because no standard exists yet, the duty may never take effect.
Jury orders Bambu Lab to pay Stratasys $27.6M over prime tower and bed leveling patents
A Texas jury found that Bambu Lab's first generation X1, P1 and A1 printers infringe Stratasys patents on prime towers and bed leveling, and awarded Stratasys $27.6 million. No injunction applies, and the verdict covers only US patents, while a European court earlier rejected Stratasys' injunction request. Bambu Lab says it will seek post-trial review and appeal.
Texas federal judge overturns ATF frame and receiver rule on ghost gun kits
A federal judge in the Northern District of Texas has struck down the 2022 ATF rule that treats convertible gun part kits like complete firearms. The ruling matters for 3D printing because several US states are separately moving to restrict printers over ghost guns. An appeal to the Fifth Circuit is considered likely.
Stratasys Q2 2026: record consumables and 17% aerospace growth, flat total revenue
Stratasys reported second quarter 2026 revenue of $137.6 million, roughly level with the prior year and up 3.7% from the first quarter. Consumables hit a record $66.3 million and aerospace and defense revenue grew 17%, while the company still booked a GAAP net loss of $16.9 million. Management keeps its full-year targets but no longer expects positive operating cash flow for 2026.
QIDI Plus5 review: enclosed 370 °C printer launches at $749, undercutting Bambu Lab H2S
Tom's Hardware reviewed the QIDI Plus5, an enclosed high-temperature desktop 3D printer released on 5 August 2026 at $749. The reviewer rates it as a strong value against Bambu Lab's H2 series, with the unreliable colour swapping of the QIDI Box named as the main weak point.
Stratasys sets 13 August date for second quarter 2026 results call
Stratasys will publish its financial results for the second quarter ended 30 June 2026 on Thursday, 13 August 2026. The investor call starts at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time and runs as a live webcast on the company's investor site, with a phone line for participants. A recording stays online for six months.
HeyGears G1X desktop inkjet unit prints coloured 3D models and UV surfaces
HeyGears has announced the G1X, a desktop machine that builds full-colour 3D models and also works as a flatbed UV printer for flat and textured surfaces. A Kickstarter campaign is planned, with a waitlist and a 50 dollar early bird slot open now. The company targets creators, studios and small businesses.
UltiMaker becomes exclusive distributor for Tectonic-3D
UltiMaker has announced that it will act as the exclusive distributor for Tectonic-3D. The announcement was published on 13 April 2026 on the UltiMaker site. The available report gives no details on regions, products or contract terms, so the scope of the agreement is not yet clear.