3D Printing Grows Up and Out

Additive manufacturing and 3D printing are often used in industry for prototyping and tooling. But there is a recent trend toward using such systems to produce large components or entire products

Technologies such as electron beam and powder bed fusion printing are scalable, and new systems, including liquid metal printing, are being developed. The aeronautical, automotive and other sectors can use these methods to print parts that cannot be created using traditional systems or to replace complex assemblies with single parts. Broader acceptance may require increasing print speed and enlarging the variety of materials that can be employed.