Ian Wright

Hamilton

Philosopher by training, writer by trade. I'm an editor at https://t.co/eOwvdG7DWx. I post stories about #mfg, #3dprinting and #technology.

Articles

DfAM vs Design for Manufacturing: What's the difference?

1 week ago | engineering.com | Ian Wright

What makes designing for 3D printing different from other manufacturing technologies? NASA mechanical design engineer Richard Hagen, left, and ORNL researcher Michael Borish inspect a lunar rover wheel prototype that was 3D printed at the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility. IMAGE: Carlos Jones/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy The concept of intentionally designing products to work within the constraints of the available manufacturing technology is not new.
Farsoon expands in additive manufacturing with copper

1 week ago | engineering.com | Ian Wright

New FS621M-Cu designed for large aerospace components made from highly reflective metals. Additive manufacturing (AM) has had many notable successes in aerospace applications over the past decade, but there are still some difficult hills to climb. One particular to the metal AM space is processing highly reflective metals, such as copper. Copper and copper alloys are useful in combustion chambers due to their electrical and thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance, and ductility.
Dual-Wavelength VPP sets the stage for better, more sustainable AM

2 weeks ago | engineering.com | Ian Wright

MIT engineers develop new approach to vat photopolymerization with dissolvable supports. The combination of speed, precision and material versatility has made vat photopolymerization (VPP) one of the most prolific 3D printing technologies for additive manufacturing (AM) applications. Beyond prototyping, VPP has seen widespread use in creating customized medical implants, such as prosthetics and hearing aids, plus forming the basis for one of AM's biggest success stories to date: dental aligners.
3D Systems supports NASA research on thermal management

3 weeks ago | engineering.com | Ian Wright

Engineers at Penn State and Arizona State leverage 3DS tech for shape memory alloy radiators. Space isn't just an exciting frontier for humanity, but for additive manufacturing (AM) as well. The truly awe-inspiring engineering challenges of the great beyond often lead engineers working on space-based applications to turn to 3D printing technologies as the best (if not only) solution.
Additive manufacturing progress update

4 weeks ago | engineering.com | Ian Wright

Recycling chips for DED, the AM industry's Q1 2025 financials, and the Ultimate LEGO 3D printer. Welcome to the latest edition of the engineering.com Additive Manufacturing Progress Update, a monthly column focusing on the latest in 3D printing research and business - with a little fun thrown in at the end. Here's the previous column, in case you missed it.
How important is sustainability in the aerospace industry?

1 month ago | engineering.com | Ian Wright

A closer look at what a sustainable future means for Airbus and Boeing. Sustainability goals for large enterprises are a bit like fitness goals for individuals: ambitious and well-intentioned, but easily put off in the face of more immediate concerns, such as an all-you-can-eat buffet or an executive compensation package consisting mostly of stock options.
3D printed STOMP device aids tissue engineering

1 month ago | engineering.com | Ian Wright

Suspended Tissue Open Microfluidic Patterning (STOMP) recreates natural cell habitats. While it's easy to get caught up in the allure of 3D printed end-use parts, such as advanced aerospace engine parts or bioresorbable implants, some of the most exacting and impactful developments in the additive manufacturing (AM) industry have come from tooling applications. The latest example comes from an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Washington.
AI tool traces 3D printed parts using photographs

1 month ago | engineering.com | Ian Wright

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign engineers build system to trace additive manufacturing fingerprints. Traceability is crucial in manufacturing, supporting quality assurance and quality control, sustainability, regulation, and security, to name just a few essential considerations in virtually any industry. Unfortunately, it's not always easy to trace a part's history.
I love lattices - Engineering.com

1 month ago | engineering.com | Ian Wright

Insights from NASA's Ryan Watkins on how additive manufacturing is shaping the Mars Sample Return mission. If you're a nerd, as I must admit I am, there's a particular feeling that comes with encountering your newest fixation. It's a bit like being Alice on the edge of the rabbit hole: the irresistible pull of the unknown that demands to be grokked. I felt it when I discovered dinosaurs as a child, science fiction as a teenager, and philosophy as a young adult.
Nikon SLM Solutions announces collaboration on naval propulsion

1 month ago | engineering.com | Ian Wright

Allegheny Technologies Incorporated and Bechtel Plant Machinery to deploy large-format metal 3D printer for defense applications. Defense spending on additive manufacturing (AM) continues with the latest announcement from Nikon SLM Solutions. The metal AM supplier has just sold a large-format laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) system to ATI, also known as Allegheny Technologies Incorporated.