Designing while ignoring production is costly: delays, defects, and redesigns. Aligning design and manufacturing from the start, with early process selection and DFM, reduces costs and time-to-market. Integrated services eliminate the gap between design and realization.

Stratasys acquires Markforged for $42.5 million from Nano Dimension, strengthening industrial 3D printing for composites and software solutions. Metal Binder Jetting technology is excluded and retained by Nano Dimension. Closing is expected in the second half of 2026.

PrusaSlicer 3.0 introduces a deep rewrite of the code to reduce technical debt and improve maintenance and future updates. The release is expected in a few weeks. It does not bring immediate spectacular features, but a more solid software base for greater stability and more frequent releases.

3D-printed living materials with bioluminescent microorganisms react to chemical stimuli by emitting blue light. Battery-free and electronics-free autonomous sensors to monitor water and the environment through repeatable visual signals.

OrcaSlicer 2.4.0-alpha offre Orca Cloud, Z Anti-Aliasing e infill ottimizzato, ma ha bug critici su Linux/macOS e regressioni su supporti e cloud sync. Solo per tester esperti, in parallelo alla 2.3.2 stabile con backup profili. Per uso produttivo, attendere la beta.

AI Text-to-STL tools are revolutionizing 3D printing by eliminating the need for CAD skills. Anyone can create custom objects, opening up entrepreneurial scenarios for makers and micro-entrepreneurs. Large companies are integrating AI into their design ecosystems.

Additive manufacturing becomes strategic for defense: having surpassed the experimental phase, 3D printing produces critical components reducing times by 80%. Million-dollar programs, new tungsten alloys, and growth beyond 20% in 2026.

Automation in custom prosthetics is now a necessity. Integrating design, production, and support removal with end-to-end digital workflows guarantees scalability, repeatable quality, and regulatory traceability, from dental labs to complex hip prostheses.

Lignosulfonate-based 3D ink (70%), a byproduct of the paper industry. It leverages reversible physical interactions to eliminate solvents and chemical crosslinkers: processable at room temperature and recyclable up to nine times without degradation.

Bambu Lab A2L: consumer 3D printing with a volume of 330×320×325 mm and speeds up to 500 mm/sec. Open bed-slinger architecture to keep costs down, but with structural criticalities. Ideal for cosplay, prototypes, and bulky objects without assemblies.

Advanced configurators integrate geometric analysis, DFM, and AI to transform CAD models into reliable production decisions. They prevent errors in real-time and guide even non-experts toward solid technical and commercial choices through 3D visualization.

4D Printing: smart materials that autonomously transform over time through external stimuli and AI. In medicine, orthopedic scaffolds and devices self-assemble within the body. The healthcare market will reach $4.7 billion by 2034.