Additive manufacturing and five elemental metals—molybdenum, niobium, tantalum, tungsten, and rhenium—are poised to change air and space travel.

A challenge additive manufacturers face is the lack of end-to-end interoperability that results from the availability of so much discrete software. There’s generative design software, simulation software, lattice and support software—to name a few—but they often don’t interact directly with one another.

Tungsten, molybdenum, and niobium are tough, heat-resistant materials that are difficult to machine—but not 3D-print.

Vapor-smoothing 3D prints have surfaces that must be smoothed during a time-consuming operation. Learn how vapor smoothing shortens this process here.

Additively manufacturing for electronics has entered the high-end and provides greater design freedom than other methods and lowers tooling costs. Learn how.

Humans are wired for 2D thinking. And until the manufacturing industry begins thinking three-dimensionally, we won’t fully be ready to 3D-print.

DLP 3D printing (digital light processing) proponents say the technology will make production-volume 3D printing a reality. Learn more about DLP printing here.

Big 3D printers eliminate the need to join multiple small parts into a single structure, enhancing accuracy, saving time, and cutting costs.