Research
New techniques, materials, and innovations pushing additive manufacturing forward.
Support Structures in Additive Manufacturing: Thermomechanical Origins and Design Mitigation Strategies
Support structures are not a slicer-stage afterthought. Their necessity, geometry, and cost are governed by distinct thermal and kinetic mechanisms in powder bed fusion, material extrusion, and vat photopolymerization.
Post-Processing for FDM and SLA: What Each Method Actually Does
Sanding, vapor smoothing, curing, painting - what each technique changes, and when it is worth the time.
The Bimetallic Problem Almost Nobody Is Printing
Grad student and AM professional Ayman Ahdy is using rare access to wire laser metal deposition equipment to study bimetallic printing, joining mild steel and stainless steel for cheaper, corrosion-resistant marine parts.
Design for Additive Manufacturing: What Actually Changes When You Print
DfAM is not about avoiding print failures. It is about making decisions upstream - orientation, overhangs, wall thickness, support strategy - before the slicer is ever opened.
A $200,000 Problem - and a Student at Western University, Canada, Who Is 3D Printing the Solution
Graduate student Rebecca Kaaya Nansubuga is developing an open-source 3D-printed orthopedic surgical positioning table, bringing a $200,000 piece of operating room equipment within reach of any facility with a desktop printer.
Jerk, Junction Deviation and Real Jerk (Cheetah): Smarter Motion in 3D Printing
From classic jerk control to dynamic junction deviation and UltiMaker's Cheetah motion planner, here is how smarter motion control is transforming 3D print quality and speed.
Polymer Additive Manufacturing: Beyond the Standard Classification
If you can only name a handful of polymer 3D printing techniques, it is time to expand your knowledge. AMPOWER has mapped over 16 distinct polymer AM processes, far beyond the seven categories in the ASTM/ISO 52900 standard.
Metal FFF and Catalytic Debinding: What Every Practitioner Should Know
Metal Fused Filament Fabrication is a three-stage process of printing, debinding, and sintering. This article breaks down catalytic debinding, the fastest and most widely adopted method, and explains why filament composition is critical to getting it right.
Lightweight Drone Frame Using Topology-Optimized FDM Parts
A student project using topology optimization and FDM to build a drone frame 40% lighter than a standard design.
FDM 3D Printing: A Complete Guide for Engineers
A comprehensive guide to Fused Deposition Modeling, how it works, material choices, print settings, and real-world applications.