How much does an industrial SLS, MJF or SAF printer really cost?
A comparison of industrial SLS, MJF and SAF machines through real cost of ownership, service, packing density, materials and the financial health of...
Topics
Cost and business case
Analysis by Svetozar Kolesar
How to choose a technology for industrial 3D printing
Most companies get the choice of industrial 3D printing technology wrong, not for lack of good options, but because they decide in the wrong order. The five...
Metal Additive Manufacturing, Powder Bed Fusion vs Binder Jetting
PBF melts metal powder with a laser, while Binder Jetting glues it and then sinters it in a furnace. Where each technology makes sense, how much parts...
Part consolidation, when combining parts makes sense
When it makes sense to make several bolted, welded or bonded parts as one, what you gain, when it is a bad idea and how to decide, with examples from BMW,...
Reverse engineering and 3D scanning, from a part without a drawing to a new part
When no drawing exists for a part, reverse engineering is the way to a CAD model. What the process from scan to new part looks like, which scanning method to use when, what is legally allowed, and how 3D scanning checks a printed part.
Shape optimization for 3D printing: five industrial examples
A bracket 71 percent lighter, a manifold of one part instead of three, a gripper finger 82 percent lighter and two molds with a 22 percent shorter cycle....
What does SLS for wire harness tooling really cost?
An analysis of replacing CNC tooling with SLS printing at a Tier 1 wire harness manufacturer with five plants: which technology, what the equipment costs,...
When 3D printing makes sense and when it does not
The question is not whether 3D printing is a good technology, but whether it is good for this part, in this quantity. Break-even points, hidden costs and a calculator.
Why 90 Percent of Companies Get 3D Printing Wrong
Most companies buy a 3D printer because of the technology, not the numbers. Here are the three paths you can take, real figures from the automotive...
Latest news
Prague fire brigade prints its own station gear on a Prusa CORE One L
The Fire Rescue Service of Prague runs a Prusa CORE One L at its central station to make mounts, protective parts and tool holders on site. Prusa says in-house replacements for items such as helmet brackets cost 90 to 95 percent less than original vendor parts. The offline-capable printer also fits Czech public-sector cybersecurity rules.
Sandia's CAMINO delivers printed parts in one week instead of four to six months
Sandia National Laboratories reports first results from CAMINO, its advanced manufacturing center that opened on February 12. Additive manufacturing supplied parts to an internal team in one week, where machining needs four to six months. The center is a development and training site, not a production facility.
Reshoring gives buyers options, but who pays AM suppliers for readiness?
An analysis of US reshoring data argues that customers may value the option to produce domestically more than a firm commitment to do so. Suppliers such as service bureaus carry the cost of being ready, while buyers keep the flexibility. Private equity consolidation and mixed results at Protolabs and Xometry show where the money is flowing.
Review: Formlabs Form Studio 1 brings a 699 dollar resin printer with closed-ecosystem focus
A Tom's Hardware review of the Formlabs Form Studio 1, the company's first consumer-level resin printer, praises its walk-away printing, large touchscreen and cartridge-based resin handling. The printer starts at 699 US dollars and is built around Formlabs' own Alpha resins, though an open material mode allows third-party resins with extra calibration. The reviewer notes a somewhat flimsy hood mount as the main hardware weakness.
Scrap Labs plans desktop metal printer built mostly from FDM parts
US startup Scrap Labs is developing the Scrap 1, a desktop laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) printer whose structure consists almost entirely of FDM-printed components. Industrial LPBF systems usually cost in the six-figure range and need a dedicated room, which the company wants to avoid. The report names a starting price, but the available text is cut off before the figure.
Eight arguments for using additive manufacturing alongside conventional processes
A 3Dnatives article lists eight reasons why additive manufacturing can complement traditional production methods instead of replacing them. It starts from the point that manufacturers adopt new tools mainly to raise efficiency and stay competitive in a demanding global market. Only the opening of the piece is available, so the individual arguments are not covered here.
Review: Prusa CORE One+ INDX toolchanger prints faster and wastes less than Bambu H2C
Tom's Hardware has reviewed the Prusa CORE One+ INDX, a desktop toolchanger built with Bondtech that uses induction-heated toolheads and drops the prime tower. In the reviewer's comparison print against the Bambu Lab H2C it finished almost nine hours sooner, wasted about 84 g less material and used three more colors. Prices run from 1,699 to 2,119 dollars for complete machines.
Stratasys launches F870 large-format FDM system, with Toyota and Rivian as early users
Stratasys has introduced the F870, a large-format FDM system with a fully heated chamber, aimed at factory-floor tooling, fixtures and production-support parts. Toyota Production Engineering in Kentucky and Rivian in Michigan are evaluating units ahead of commercial availability. The machine will be shown at IMTS 2026 in Chicago from 14 to 19 September.
Prusa gives XL, Core One and Core One L second-generation "+" versions
Prusa Research is upgrading its XL, Core One and Core One L printers to second-generation "+" versions, adding a nozzle wiper and finer belts across the range. Current sales units already ship with the changes and open orders are converted, with no price rise. Upgrade kits for existing owners are due on the webstore by September.
QIDI Plus5 review: enclosed 370 °C printer launches at $749, undercutting Bambu Lab H2S
Tom's Hardware reviewed the QIDI Plus5, an enclosed high-temperature desktop 3D printer released on 5 August 2026 at $749. The reviewer rates it as a strong value against Bambu Lab's H2 series, with the unreliable colour swapping of the QIDI Box named as the main weak point.
Koobz grows a Bambu Lab print farm to make TPU shoes on demand in California
Koobz, a US on-demand footwear maker, runs its production on a fleet of Bambu Lab printers, mainly the H2D series, printing complete shoes in recycled-grade TPU. According to a Bambu Lab case study, the fleet has grown from about 50 to roughly 100 machines, with more than 500 planned by the end of 2026. The company says it avoids tooling and can compete on cost with overseas factories.