From large-format systems to new metal machines and fresh collaborations, companies used the event to show where they’re headed next, and in many cases, to make a push into new markets.

New Machines Across the Board

One of the more interesting debuts came from UnionTech, which introduced its MUEES430 PRO, a new metal AM system. The move shows that Chinese OEMs are continuing to expand their global presence, especially in the metal sector.

UnionTech booth at RAPID + TCT.

The system is designed for larger, industrial parts, with a build size that puts it closer to production-focused machines rather than entry-level metal printers. It also supports multi-laser configurations, which can help speed up production and improve throughput. In simple terms, it’s built for companies that want to move beyond prototyping and into making real parts at scale.

Across the show floor, several other Chinese manufacturers were introducing new systems across different categories. Snapmaker presented the U1, pushing further into more capable, multi-use machines. The company has built its name on modular systems that combine 3D printing, CNC, and laser engraving, and the U1 continues that approach with a more industrial feel, aimed at users who want flexibility in a single platform rather than separate machines.

Chinese firms SUNLU and Inslogic also announced the FilaDC I10, a system that blends filament printing with more industrial-style capabilities. The machine is designed to push beyond standard desktop FDM, with a focus on stronger materials and more consistent output, closer to what users would expect from entry-level industrial systems. Which basically means it sits somewhere between a typical desktop printer and a more production-oriented machine, showing how hybrid approaches are starting to fill that gap.

SUNLU and Inslogic Team Up to Announce the FilaDC i10 at RAPID + TCT in Boston. Image courtesy of SUNLU.

One of the hardest printers to miss was BigRep’s large-format ONE.5X, a system designed for industrial-scale parts. While the machine was announced ahead of RAPID, seeing it in person made it clear BigRep is leaning into bigger, more production-ready applications. The ONE.5X is built for large components and continuous output, aimed at industries that need size and throughput more than fine detail. In simple terms, it’s about making big parts reliably at a scale beyond prototyping.

BigRep showcased its ONE.5X printer at RAPID + TCT.

Creality also had a booth at RAPID this year, showcasing two machines that came out ahead of the event but were nonetheless exciting to see in person. In addition to its K2 Pro Combo printer, Sermoon P1 3D scanner, and Falcon T1 laser engraver, the company also had its relatively new SPARKX i7 and CFS (Color Filament System). Also seen at TCT Asia last month, the printer and its combined CFS are said to reduce filament waste by 50%.

Creality SPARKXi7 printing live at RAPID+TCT 2026.

Speaking of cutting down on material waste, Creality also showcased its Filament Maker M1 and Shredder R1, which were launched just weeks ago. The R1 processes prepared 3D printing waste into reusable material, and the M1 mixes, extrudes, and spools filament. This is said to be the first desktop system for users to recycle and make their own filament.

Partnerships and Market Moves

While the machines usually steal the show, partnerships were also a big part of the AM ecosystem at RAPID.

Inkbit announced a collaboration with Stratasys Direct as it moves into wider industrial use. Inkbit develops its own polymer 3D printing systems, using a vision-controlled process that relies on cameras and software to monitor and correct each layer in real time. This approach helps improve accuracy and consistency, making it better suited for repeatable production rather than one-off prints.

Stratasys booth at RAPID+TCT 2026.

The partnership with Stratasys Direct is about getting that technology into real manufacturing environments. By working with an established service provider, Inkbit gains access to customers and applications that go beyond testing and into actual part production.

Prusa booth at RAPID + TCT.

Meanwhile, Prusa Research brought its Pro SLX and AFS systems to the U.S. for the first time. Best known for its desktop printers, the company is now pushing further into more industrial applications. The Pro SLX is designed for higher-end resin printing, while the AFS system focuses on automated farm-style production with multiple machines working together. Together, they show how Prusa is trying to move beyond individual machines and into more complete production setups. RAPID gave the company a chance to show that shift more clearly.

There’s still a push to make 3D printing easier to use, through lower-cost systems, simpler workflows, and machines that don’t need complicated setups.

At the same time, scale keeps coming up. Large-format printers, bigger resin systems, and new metal machines are all targeting the same goal: making parts that aren’t just prototypes, but actually usable at size.

And partnerships are playing a bigger role, too. Instead of doing everything themselves, companies are working with service providers and local partners to get their technology into real production environments and really fast.

Images courtesy of Sarah Saunders for 3DPrint.com unless otherwise noted.

Bryson then turned to 3D printing, noting that print time is 8 hours, with an additional 4 hours for post-processing. The Athletic quoted him saying that, there is “a robot that measures a club’s geometry and material properties, making sure they comply with the USGA’s standards.” The idea back then was that the clubs were much more forgiving to mishits. He still liked the clubs positively, saying that they gave him a great second shot. He also complained about the USGA process needed to make the clubs conform.

He reportedly used a 3D printed five-iron at the Masters. He also took wedges with a bubble form on them and more weight. He mentioned that the clubs are now ready. He went on to say that,

“There’s this nature that I have about myself where innovation is a habit of mine, and I really find and take pride in that ability to learn — even through failure, even through making a bad decision or a good decision — what I can get from that,”

It seemed before the event that Bryson was teasing his 3D printed clubs. Bit by bit, he let information leak out, seeming to prime his audience for new public availability. Now, however, with a disappointing performance, this seems to be out of the question. Indeed, some may even blame the 3D printed clubs for his lower-than-expected performance.

Bryson DeChambeau and his “caddy,” actor Kevin Hart, at the 2026 Masters Tournament. Image courtesy of Bryson DeChambeau via Instagram.

If Bryson launched his own 3D printed golf club brand, it would be a really important moment in sports. On the one hand, it would be a boost for 3D printing to have the input of a Pro lead directly into his own brand of clubs. But, beyond this, Bryson is trying to build his own brand. Now, this is actually kind of a blast from the past. Lacoste, for example, was a die-hard, tenacious player with the nickname the Crocodile. That led to his eponymous Lacoste brand. Over the past decades, however, even the biggest athletes in the world have chosen Nike’s money over having their own brands. Christiano Ronaldo and Steph Curry have big company-enabled sub-brands, but going it alone entirely is really not attempted anymore.

If Bryson succeeds, this could open the floodgates for more athletes to truly build their own brands. Here we have a branding hiccup and a failure to launch. This is exactly the kind of thing that would not happen if Bryson were with Adidas or another brand. They would take care of slick launches. There’s something endearing about Bryson’s approach here and the way he’s doing it. There is clearly a learning curve. And it isn’t working now. But if Bryson manages to get the narrative on track, he may yet launch a very valuable 3D printed brand of clubs.

Bryson DeChambeau after winning the 2024 US Open. Image courtesy of Bryson DeChambeau.

His own input and experience make this a very authentic experience. And it may lead to an excellent set up clubs as well. His winnings give him the financial independence to continue this development. If he does so and it gives him an edge, it could propel the clubs to success. We know that with additive, you can enlarge a sweet spot, you can reduce vibration, improve balance, change the way the club head moves in the air, change the impact point of the ball on the club, change how the ball spins, and much more. The possibilities point to huge advantages for whoever unlocks them. But, will “the scientist” get it right? We don’t know. But Bryson would be wise to study the story of Lacoste. Lacoste didn’t always win, but he always went for it 100%, and this endearing quality made him beloved and enabled him to leverage his fame into a brand. Perhaps the Scientist should therefore lean more into that.

Images from Bryson’s Instagram.

ICON’s work on the ten barracks, which are expected to house 500 soldiers once finished, is part of a nearly $63 million Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreement awarded to the company in January, bringing the total value of all ICON’s government contracts over the years to over $360 million. That number is all the more impressive considering that ICON has only just this month announced a dedicated division for defense and general government work, ICON Prime, which is headed by Will Hurd, a former member of the CIA clandestine services, a three-term US Congressman, and a US Presidential candidate in 2024.

In between his retirement from Congress in 2020 and the launch of his presidential campaign in 2023, Hurd served on the board of OpenAI. During his time in Congress, he served as chair of the Information Technology Subcommittee in his first term, chairing the first US House hearing on AI in 2015. ICON has been distinctly ambitious on the role of AI in its workflow, announcing an AI program for home design back in 2024.

ICON’s large-scale 3D printers in operation, building multiple military structures simultaneously on-site.

Hurd has been making the rounds with media outlets following the announcement of his new role, telling Axios that he and ICON Prime are aiming to build 900 barracks over the next five years. In addition to its work building barracks for various US military branches, ICON has also been a major recipient of funding from NASA related to lunar construction R&D.

In a press release about ICON’s launch of its Prime division, and the choice of Will Hurd as president of the division, the co-founder and CEO of ICON, Jason Ballard, said, “ICON was founded to radically rethink how the world builds. With ICON Prime, we are bringing together our robotics, software, and materials innovations into a defense and space tech unit to help government partners build faster, more resilient infrastructure at a lower cost. We want to bring robotic construction to bear on the nation’s most pressing readiness and national security challenges. Will Hurd brings extraordinary experience at the intersection of technology, national security, and public policy, and his leadership will help scale this work at a critical moment.”

Hurd noted, “Advanced construction technologies are no longer peripheral to national security, they are foundational to military readiness, force projection, and interplanetary exploration. ICON is the pioneer in robotics and advanced materials that have fundamentally changed how we build more resilient structures from military installations to disaster response. The need to swiftly build at lower cost is real, and the opportunity to scale where we need it most has never been greater.”

ICON’s CEO, team members and military personnel at a 3D printed construction site. Image courtesy of ICON.

Even in an industry in which hiring heavy-hitters with government experience, or appointing them to the board, has become fairly commonplace, this hire stands out. Will Hurd has wide bipartisan respect and well-earned legitimacy in precisely those areas that will be at the center of his work at ICON, which should result in policymakers taking AC more seriously as a tool for addressing the mounting difficulties in US construction.

I think what might be most striking about the hire is that Hurd isn’t your typical anti-regulation conservative, especially when it comes to AI. He’s, in fact, played a major role in laying the foundation for existing US law on AI, and has argued that solidifying rules on IP ownership and implementing workforce development initiatives to reskill workers for an age of machine learning should be among the pillars of an effective national AI strategy.

Close-up of one of ICON’s robotic gantry systems at a defense site.

This is exactly the sort of thinking required to transform deep-tech potential into commercial reality, especially in an industry as strictly regulated as is construction. However realistic the goal of 900 barracks within five years may or may not be, it certainly sounds far more plausible now that Will Hurd is involved.

I think the most interesting thing to pay attention to will be how ICON can leverage its success in the military and space to gain more traction in attracting federal funding for residential projects. That’s probably still a few years down the road, but, at the moment at least, ICON certainly appears to be the company that can achieve that pivot.

Images courtesy of ICON

The work will be carried out at Nikon’s AM Technology Center in Long Beach, California, which focuses on naval, defense, aviation, and space applications.

Being part of this system, therefore, is not a science project but something that requires real parts used by real people all over the place. The JAMA IV program is an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity one that,

The award itself is therefore not going to be huge, with other monies going to desktop, cold spray, and other vendors. But this will really determine millions, or hundreds of millions, in follow-up business. So what gets entered into the system, literally, and what this organization understands will have lasting impacts. This is also a real achievement in the total of additive qualification, certification, and testing that’s been going on for years. This contract implies confidence and utility, which is a big achievement stemming from the efforts of many people.

Senior Contracting Officer Deborah Lombardi said:

“The DLA will utilize Nikon AM to conduct a part(s) production pilot, using Additive Manufacturing (AM) to establish the necessary processes and AM support base for the DLA towards our mission to drive and sustain warfighter readiness.”

While Dr. Behrang Poorganji, the Vice President of Technology at Nikon AM, stated,

“Nikon AM continues to build upon and accelerate our holistic approach to deliver vital advanced manufacturing and sustainment capabilities that are crucial to the United States and allied partners at speed. We are very proud to support the DLA by enabling agile, on-demand production of critical components and strengthening supply chain resilience for mission-ready operations.”

According to a social media post by Nikon, the contract will focus on pilot production of parts, helping the DLA build out its additive manufacturing supplier base and internal capabilities. The goal is to support more agile, on-demand production of critical components, especially in situations where traditional supply chains fall short. This fits into a broader push to strengthen supply chain resilience and ensure mission-ready operations across defense systems.

So this is a win for Nikon AM Synergy and the industry more broadly. Sometimes it may seem like we’re moving slowly. And it can often seem like we’re standing still. But this is a concrete milestone and actual progress. As JAMA continues, we will see more vendors and technologies being onboarded. In the years to come, this could end up being significant business in critical parts for many in the space.

Now trinckle is embedding its Additive App Suite inside Stratasys‘ GrabCAD Print and GrabCAD Print Pro tools. This will make it easier for existing Stratasys users to use the app. The companies are set to showcase the integration at RAPID + TCT this week, where Stratasys will feature the App Suite in its booth. The App Suite now makes it easy to create end effectors, jaws, trays, and shadow boards for robots. You can also toy a bit with the apps to make slightly different things, such as inserts for carrying cases, general desk organization, or stands. The Photo-to-Outline feature lets you take pictures and transform them into a cutout of a pair of pliers, for example, or of a specific 3D printed tool. I’ve tested it, and it works. If you were trying to set up a workstation or working in production, I’d try this out now for sure. The company hopes to expand on the current functionality, including break-off labels, masking tools, and drill guides.

Victor Gerdes, Vice President, Software, Stratasys, said,

“By transforming GrabCAD Print into a platform that guides engineers through automated, production-ready workflows, we’re making additive manufacturing faster and more accessible across the factory floor. The Additive App Suite allows teams to go from a production problem to a print-ready solution in minutes, not days, expanding the impact of AM beyond the lab.”

trinckle CEO Florian Reichle mentioned that,

“This agreement builds on our ongoing partnership with Stratasys and continues the collaboration that began with the exclusive integration of fixturemate into GrabCAD Print Pro last year. Together, we are addressing one of the practical barriers to wider adoption of additive manufacturing – the reliance on specialized CAD skills and the time-consuming nature of manual design work. By extending the Additive App Suite into the Stratasys ecosystem, we are expanding access to a wider group of users while also benefiting from feedback that helps guide the product roadmap through real-world use cases.”

I really love this product and love what trinckle is doing. By making it easier for the other ten thousand people in the company to use additive, it can act as an accelerator for the adoption of 3D printing. By moving the user closer to the solution, the product is empowering people to solve their own issues. It’s also super cost-effective to use this quickly using the app and then print it out locally. That feedback loop is quick and would therefore solve the problem faster than alternatives. A lot of times, just the perfect solution for additive doesn’t get made because the user or person with the problem can’t do CAD. So this could get a manufacturing team to solve a problem that would otherwise never be solved, and just go on to cost a company in time or bother. More users, more solutions being made, and more money being saved mean that 3D printing will have more value. Your in-house Stratasys printer is now more useful, and its utilization will be higher, too, reducing moving costs.

That kind of flywheel effect can lead to broader adoption of 3D printing. 3D printing is becoming much more accessible and useful. But one recurring bottleneck is in design. A simple, straightforward path to acquiring geometry and building a solution is what we need to make our market much bigger, and trickle is aiming to offer this to all.

Images courtesy of trinckle

I’ve always viewed the additive manufacturing (AM) industry primarily as a story of industrial clusters, and it seems like that reality will be more relevant than ever in determining which companies succeed. So while it’s easy to look past announcements like the one that Caracol, the manufacturer of robotic arm AM systems, just made about a partnership with a UK-based robotics services firm, I think that precisely this sort of partnership will be indispensable to the health of the AM industry.

CNC Robotics, founded in the Liverpool area in 2010, is a Platinum System Integrator for KUKA, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of robotic arm systems. Throughout its history, it has established relationships with a number of different machining and AM brands, acting as on-the-ground customer support in the UK for its partners. Through the partnership with Caracol and Caracol’s official UK reseller, AM Futures, CNC Robotics will assemble and integrate Caracol’s Heron AM (composite) and Vipra AM (metals) systems in the UK, and provide aftermarket service once the machines are operational.

Caracol, based in Italy with a US headquarters, as well, has evolved from a small service provider into a steadily expanding, heavily-funded startup, bringing in $40 million last fall in a Series B round. The company plays in all the usual markets currently sought after by large-format AM enterprises, though it has particularly excelled at recreational maritime.

Caracol’s thermoplastic composite 3D printing.

In a press release about Caracol’s partnership with CNC Robotics, Francisco De Stefano, co-founder and CEO of Caracol, said, “The UK is a strategic market for Caracol, and this partnership reflects the depth of that commitment. By building a complete local ecosystem — with AM Futures and CNC Robotics — we are giving UK manufacturers access to the full power of our platforms, assembled and supported on home soil. At a time when reshoring and supply chain resilience are top priorities across British industry, we want Caracol to be the partner manufacturers can count on.”

The founder and CTO of CNC Robotics, Jason Barker, said, “Our partnership with Caracol is a major milestone for CNC Robotics and for the UK manufacturing sector. As Caracol’s key partner in the UK, we’re not only bringing cutting-edge large-format [AM] technology to the market — we’re backing it with local technical expertise, responsive on-the-ground support, and strong commercial guidance. UK customers can rely on us for a seamless experience from initial consultation through to installation, training, and long-term service. Together with Caracol, we’re enabling manufacturers across the UK to adopt advanced AM solutions with confidence and clarity.”

Vipra AM is Caracol’s advanced manufacturing robotic solution leveraging WAAM technology.

In my recent PRO article on how 3D printed advanced packaging will likely act as an enabling technology for whatever Elon Musk’s Terafab ultimately amounts to, I discussed how pivotal systems integration services will be to the future of the semiconductor industry. I also pointed out the parallel between that trajectory and the most likely trajectory for the next wave of AM industry growth, and this is why companies like CNC Robotics will be so vital to where AM goes from here.

In the old way of doing things, the marker of a serious regional expansion was to establish one’s own corporate office in the region in question. That will continue to matter in certain instances, and for enterprises beyond a certain manpower and revenue threshold, but in most instances, I think it will be increasingly viewed as an unwarranted expense. The far more efficient move is to form connections along the lines of Caracol’s relationships with AM Futures and CNC Robotics.

Mainly, this is because even if one were to establish a corporate office in, say, the UK, this doesn’t really accomplish anything, anyway, unless you also have a relationship with a local systems integrator. That is, unless you’re prepared to essentially build your own version from scratch, which would more or less amount to starting a whole new company, under circumstances made extra complicated by the fact you’re trying to do so on foreign ground.

Heron AM.

Collaboration with a company that already exists and is already viable simply makes far too much sense, especially when it gives a company like Caracol the opportunity to reach users that previously may have only had experience with CNC machining. Pay close attention to any company that has developed a lean formula for geographic expansion.

Images courtesy of Caracol

The startup is developing maneuverable spacecraft designed to operate more dynamically in orbit, targeting missions that require greater flexibility than traditional satellite systems can provide. At its core, the company is building spacecraft that can move more efficiently once in space, rather than staying locked into fixed orbits like most satellites today.

The idea is simple: getting to space is no longer the biggest challenge, but moving once you’re there is. And Portal Space is focused on solving that, building spacecraft that can reposition, adapt, and operate across different orbits as mission needs change.

“Our customers don’t just need access to space. They need the ability to operate across it,” said Jeff Thornburg, CEO and founder of Portal Space Systems. “The systems that succeed in this next phase of space exploration will be those that can move quickly, deliberately, and repeatedly across and between orbits, and that’s been Portal’s focus since day one.”

Shared by Thornburg, the news points to continued investor interest in advanced space infrastructure, an industry where additive manufacturing (AM) is playing a growing role.

Jeff Thornburg. Image courtesy of Portal Space Systems.

The round was led by Geodesic Capital and Mach33 Financial Group, with participation from Booz Allen Hamilton, AlleyCorp, FUSE, Trajectory Ventures, and ARK Investment Management.

In fact, ARK is led by Cathie Wood, one of the most visible investors in emerging technologies. Through her firm, she has backed a range of 3D printing and advanced manufacturing companies over the years, including dedicated exposure through ARK’s 3D Printing ETF. Wood is also closely tied to the industry’s recent consolidation wave, having played a role in bringing attention and capital to several public 3D printing companies during what 3DPrint.com previously described as the sector’s “mergerocalypse.”

Her presence in this round doesn’t mean Portal Space is a 3D printing company, but it does show how investors who have followed additive manufacturing closely are now backing companies where it plays a role behind the scenes.

The mix of investors also reflects where Portal Space is aiming to play. Some, like Booz Allen, bring strong ties to defense and national security, while others, like Mach 33, are laser-focused on space markets. That lines up with Portal’s goal of serving defense, civil, and commercial space missions.

A Familiar Face in Additive — and on 3DPrint.com

For 3DPrint.com readers, Portal Space is not new. The company, and Jeff Thornburg himself, have been featured multiple times, including a prior interview on 3DPrint.com and an appearance on Joris Peels’ podcast, the 3DPOD, where Thornburg discussed the company’s approach to high-performance propulsion and how AM enables new design possibilities. That work is centered on solar-thermal propulsion, a system designed to deliver high efficiency while allowing more flexible movement in orbit.

Thornburg is well known in both aerospace and AM circles. Before launching Portal Space, he held leadership roles at companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin, where 3D printing was already being used to produce complex rocket engine components.

At SpaceX in particular, he saw firsthand how 3D printing could replace slower, less reliable casting processes, cutting production times and allowing more integrated designs with fewer parts.

That experience helped shape his view of AM as a way to rethink propulsion architectures, reduce part counts, improve performance, and accelerate development cycles. At Portal Space, that approach is a big part of how the company makes its technology, and is now backed by new capital. A lot of those parts are hard to make using traditional methods, which is where 3D printing comes in.

In Portal’s case, AM is particularly useful for producing the complex internal geometries needed in its solar-thermal propulsion systems, where heat transfer and material performance are critical. Those kinds of designs are difficult to achieve with traditional manufacturing, but much easier with 3D printing.

Over the past year, the company has moved quickly from early development to real hardware. It has already tested key systems in flight, including avionics like its flight computer and power systems, and is preparing its first spacecraft, Starburst-1, for launch on a SpaceX rideshare mission in late 2026. Over the past year, the company has moved quickly from early development to real hardware. It has already tested key systems in flight, including avionics like its flight computer and power systems, and is preparing its first spacecraft, Starburst-1, for launch on a SpaceX rideshare mission in late 2026.

Jeff Thornburg at the Paris Air Show 2025. Image courtesy of Portal Space Systems.

Portal Space isn’t the only company in the additive ecosystem to raise funding after appearing on 3DPrint.com and the 3DPOD. We’ve seen several past guests go on to secure major rounds, including VulcanForms, Fabric8Labs, Carbon, Firestorm Labs, and The Exploration Company. These companies come from different parts of the AM industry, from production-scale metal systems to defense, aerospace, and new materials, which shows how much the space has expanded.

The bigger picture

After a slower period for the additive manufacturing industry, funding like this is still happening, especially in areas like space. The focus is on real systems and hardware, not just the technology itself. 3D printing fits into that. It’s already used across propulsion and spacecraft systems, where lighter parts and faster iteration are key. Companies like Portal Space are building around that from the start. In cases like this, AM is not the product; it’s part of what makes that product possible.

As space becomes more crowded and more competitive, being able to move in orbit is becoming just as important as getting there in the first place. That shift is a big part of what’s driving interest in companies like Portal Space.

That’s especially true right now. With missions like Artemis moving forward, there’s more attention on the technologies that actually make those programs work. AM is one of them, already used in propulsion and spacecraft systems where complexity, weight, and speed are all important. For companies like Portal Space, that means designing for this from the start, not adding it in later.

The company’s CTO, Joachim Zettler, said,

“For many years, Metalpine has been a strong and innovative partner to EOS. By integrating Metalpine into EOS, we are taking the next logical step in our collaboration, strengthening our metal materials supply and accelerating innovation, particularly in titanium, where we see significant and sustained market demand.”

Meanwhile, Metalpine CEO Gerald Pöllmann stated,

“During the past few years, we have built a rock-solid foundation with EOS. Becoming part of EOS is a natural progression of this partnership, enabling us to further develop our technologies and scale our capabilities while continuing to reliably serve customers worldwide.”

And Metalpine CTO Dr. Martin Dopler added,

“Our patented process stands for exceptional powder quality and consistency. As part of EOS, we will further advance material innovation and support the growing requirements of industrial additive manufacturing, while continuing to provide our products to a broad market.”

Metalpine facility in Austria. Image courtesy of EOS.

Options?

OK, so let’s get the problematic stuff out of the way first. EOS could have bought AP&C, a metal powder business within GE Aerospace’s additive group, Colibrium Additive, or whatever is left of Carpenter’s additive manufacturing materials business. Could it have maybe done something with GKN, too? SLM and EOS work extensively with all powder manufacturers in some capacity or another. Perhaps choosing one powder company could make the others more reticent to do business with EOS? Perhaps, as well, the other powder companies would be less inclined to share their latest research with EOS. This is not a riskless purchase; there very well will be knock-on effects from this.

If EOS wanted to double down on super special powders, then maybe Elementum 3D would have been a more defense-centric play. Reportedly, that firm’s products are doing well in the US defense establishment. If you want something special with significant growth potential, it could be hilarious to buy CP1 from Constellium. Both the CP1 and Elementum materials are also used significantly in F1 and have a lot of growth potential.

A World Beyond LPBF

I think I would have rather bought Norsk Titanium and then entered into the aerospace DED business, really. That would have been really cool because then you can use your experience to let people make big parts well, and also the smaller, more detailed parts. DED has a lot of potential in repair, cladding, armor, and aerostructures. A broader adoption could see the technology gain widespread adoption in industrial and automotive settings. I think that a well-capitalized Norsk would be able to leverage a lot of growth in defense in the US and within the aerospace and new space supply chain. That company is an underappreciated gem.

Norsk Titanium’s Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) technology. Image courtesy of Norsk Titanium.

ATO

Now, if you wanted to double down on responsible manufacturing, an atomizer company like ATO or similar would be a nice play. Imagine offering a way to turn metal scrap into powder for car firms? Imagine you build a complete chain to turn your scrap into powder using EOS equipment. That would be an interesting solution for a lot of industrials. You could try buying MetalPowderWorks or something and make your own “6K for everyone” play. That to me would have been truly interesting. And at high volume, this would make a real impact. It could be a valuable business line for EOS, allowing them to double down on their laboratory and research customers. You could also be a key environmental solution for large European firms while being a key enabler of the manufacturing resilience through-fest going on in the US. If I were in it for the money, the growth, or the environment, that’s what I would have done.

ATO atomizers use ultrasonic vibrations to break molten metal into droplets. Image courtesy of ATO.

Explanation?

Therefore, I think the most logical explanation is that Metalpine was either struggling to raise cash to fund growth and turned to EOS, or that a large EOS customer implementation relied on Metalpine powder, so the company bought the firm. That could be either because it wanted to own the entire process chain (Apple, aerospace, medical) or because it had to guarantee the solution’s availability for a long time. Another alternative was that the application demanded such scale that EOS had to buy Metalpine to ensure it could grow towards it in tandem. Or perhaps the customer needed certain assurances to dominate, own, or control the entire process chain, and a sale was the only way to get it off the ground. That could very well be the reason, and it would make sense. GE, for example, found it necessary to buy the OEM and the powder company to scale its application, for example. EOS was a shareholder, so a Metalpine buy could have been opportunistic or something more active than an asset sale. Could EOS have seen that the firm could achieve better results with its machines using Metalpine and wanted to capitalize on that? Perhaps, but why do you need to do this then?

How EOS Explains It

The firm says that it is a part of a partnership and lets EOS,

“expand access to high-quality titanium powders produced through Metalpine’s patented atomization process, known for its consistency and performance in demanding industrial applications.”

EOS also states that,

“The acquisition strengthens EOS’ ability to deliver tightly integrated materials, parameters, and process expertise — helping manufacturers for fast and effective qualification, improve process stability, and scale additive manufacturing into serial production with greater confidence. Those industries and applications reliant on titanium (aerospace, medical, and high‑performance industrial applications) now garner greater access to high‑quality powders engineered for consistent performance in serial additive manufacturing environments.”

Furthermore, the company says that Metalpine will be an independent business. EOS also states that it “underlines EOS’ commitment to an open ecosystem and continued collaboration with a wide range of partners across the additive manufacturing industry.”

Metalpine’s metal powder production. Image courtesy of Metalpine.

Now, Metalpine is capable of making highly spherical, reduced final porosity powders. This very well may be advantageous. To move ot the next stage of production, owning that particular process could give EOS customers advantages over others. Better dialed-in, better powders could make a difference. Especially if people wish to deploy large-scale systems and manufacturing lines, this may matter. This could also let EOS give moe guarantees in large-scale implementations and perhaps find ways to offset supplier risks (e.g., if we go bankrupt, you get all the recipes, kind of stuff).

And there is a logic here in what EOS said. I would have much rather bought ATO and turned it into an alloy discovery and recycling system for large customers. That, to me, is a true product extension that would dramatically lower costs and make more production possible. Now, the thing is, Joachim Zettler is much, much smarter than I am. Marie is much, much smarter than I am. So the two of them, plus a board member or two, should be super way smarter than me. So, what is going on here? The most logical thing still is that there is a huge customer implementation somewhere that is so key to EOS that they had to do this. Or EOS is doing this to appease a potential buyer. There are not many companies that could afford the ticket and provide a sufficiently glorious future for the firm.

Could it make sense for Apple to buy EOS to gain an edge in making thinner, more hardware-packed cases from recycled materials while using less material overall? Less porosity and thinner walls really add up if you make hundreds of millions of things. Maybe in the Appleverse, a lot of things make sense that don’t for other companies. Something similar could really give Apple an edge in the consumer devices market. Whatever the answer, this is a thought-provoking move by EOS.

The announcement comes just months after ExOne detailed its integration with voxeljet, where the company emphasized a renewed focus on service, uptime, and rebuilding customer confidence. In a recent interview with 3DPrint.com, ExOne CEO Eric Bader and Anzu Partners co-founding managing partner Whitney Haring-Smith outlined those priorities more clearly: move faster, strengthen local support, and rebuild customer confidence.

This move puts that strategy into action in the U.S., with more localized production, a Detroit-based parts inventory, and improved access to service and support.

ExOne Global Holdings Management in front of the German headquarters (left to right): Rudolf Franz, Whitney Haring-Smith (Chair of the Board), Eric Bader (CEO)

Bringing production closer to customers

At the center of the announcement is the start of U.S. manufacturing for ExOne’s Spectra Mono-Z printheads at a facility in Canton, Michigan. The printhead is a key component in binder jet 3D printing systems, responsible for depositing the binder that forms each part.

This is the first step in a broader plan to localize more of the company’s hardware production. The goal is to reduce dependence on international suppliers and better serve industries such as aerospace, defense, automotive, and energy.

For customers, that should translate into shorter lead times, faster repairs, and more predictable access to critical components.

The Three P’s: Parts, Pricing, and Predictability

Alongside printhead production, ExOne is rolling out several changes to improve day-to-day operations for its installed base. First off, the company is building a Detroit-based parts inventory to reduce delays in spare parts and consumables. It is also introducing a published annual price list that includes tariffs and freight, giving customers a more exact idea of the total cost of ownership.

Maintenance is another focus. ExOne is rolling out a three-level service program, lowering costs for its mid-tier plan and offering better options for customers with multiple machines. In addition, all customers will now have access to free 24/7 live phone support, with a guaranteed human response.

Eric Bader will take on the position of CEO of ExOne Global Holdings, and Rudolf Franz joins the supervisory board. Image courtesy of voxeljet via LinkedIn.

In the interview, Bader and Haring-Smith said the company’s immediate priority is supporting the machines already in the field. They stressed the need to keep the company’s hundreds of installed systems running in production. At the time, they pointed to the integration with voxeljet and the creation of a unified global service network as a way to improve uptime and expand access to experienced technicians. A key concern from customers, they said, is knowing who to call, how quickly issues will be resolved, and whether spare parts will be available when needed.

These latest updates directly target those concerns, particularly in the U.S., where customers have been more exposed to delays and service gaps in recent years. Instead of focusing on new hardware launches, ExOne is addressing the areas customers have been most concerned about, including parts availability, service, and overall cost predictability.

“These updates are a direct response to recent customer feedback around domestic supply, expedited parts access, predictable pricing, and support they can count on,” added Mike Dougherty, Managing Director of Americas at ExOne Global Holdings.

ExOne machine. Image courtesy of ExOne.

The Detroit expansion also reflects a broader trend of producing parts closer to customers, closer to home, and avoiding supply chain delays.

During the interview, ExOne leadership noted that more customers are moving toward regional production models, with the same technology deployed across multiple sites rather than relying on a single global hub. This allows them to reduce risk, respond faster to demand, and maintain more control over their supply chains. So bringing key components, like printheads, closer to U.S. customers fits directly into that shift.

ExOne described the Detroit printhead production as just the beginning of a longer-term plan to expand U.S.-based manufacturing. What’s more, further updates are expected as the company continues to integrate its operations and align its strategy following the recent ownership changes. But overall, we are clearly seeing a company laser-focused on strengthening its core operations.

The Chinese AM OEM Farsoon, for one, is leveraging lasers with spot sizes of 40µm to enable what the company is calling its Fine Laser Spot metal AM process, which it announced last year. Leading up to RAPID + TCT 2026 in Boston, Farsoon gave an update on the process that illustrates just how quickly it’s scaling deployment of smaller spot sizes for industrial production.

In 2025, when the company originally announced the 40µm solution (paired with its FS200M medium-sized system), it was boasting .05 millimeter (mm) resolution: solid, but not earth-shattering. However, Farsoon is now announcing that its Fine Laser Spot method is accurate down to 0.03 mm, putting the company in a league with the most accurate industrial-scale printers on the market.

Of course, while that achievement is impressive, it doesn’t do much on its own. The key is that Farsoon has determined the perfect use-case category for the combination of accuracy and productivity that it’s delivering: thermal management applications for electronics components. Most notably, these include copper cold plates, perhaps the best opportunity for the 3D printing industry to capture the data center hardware market.

According to Farsoon, it’s able to consistently produce parts with layer thicknesses as low as 10µm, maximizing the company’s ability to capitalize on the power efficiency unlocked by geometrical complexity. Attendees of RAPID + TCT 2026 can learn more by visiting Farsoon’s booth, #1211.

Farsoon’s announcement is of the same ilk as BLT’s work on the OPPO Find N6 hinge that I wrote about recently. This is perhaps an overgeneralization, but for years, the narrative surrounding the West vs. China was that the former delivered on precision and the latter delivered on price point.

Now, printers made by Chinese OEMs are being used to produce components at scale for the industries in which the highest premium is placed on component precision: computing and consumer electronics. What’s more, even with a sample size of just two companies — Farsoon and BLT — we see two highly differentiated ways of achieving the same result. Whereas BLT combines two different forms of 3D printing, one metal and one polymer, to make the OPPO hinge, Farsoon is combining the small spot size from the earliest years of metal AM with the throughput gains that have accumulated in all the years since.

In both cases, the result is the best of all worlds, supplying precision at mass output levels and minimal post-processing. The squaring of that circle has implications far beyond the 3D printing industry, as a race for data center supremacy amidst a world increasingly mired in geopolitical muck means that local production capabilities for thermal management solutions are more valuable than ever.

China always had an edge over the West when it comes to scale, and the West now appears to have given up its lead in the realm of technological sophistication, as well. Situations like this can ultimately become advantageous for the laggards, as it creates the pressure that can catalyze an urgent drive to turn weaknesses into strengths. But the first step for Western companies (and governments) is to admit that they have a problem.

Images courtesy of Farsoon