Additive manufacturing (AM) in 2024 is seeing a convergence of advanced materials, large-scale production capabilities, and cross-industry applications that are redefining engineering possibilities. Hyphen Innovations, a young but impactful player, has drawn attention with its TCT award-winning aerospace technology, i-DAMP—Inherent Damping via Additive Manufacturing Processes. Designed to address unpredictable fatigue properties in aerospace AM components, i-DAMP is now finding uses beyond its original scope. Automotive vibration suppression, fatigue mitigation in train car components, shock absorption, and noise reduction are among the areas benefiting from the technology. Founder, CEO, and CTO Onome Scott-Emuakpor stated: “Hyphen Innovations anticipates significant growth in i-DAMP applications this year. We are currently in collaboration with The Ohio State University, EOS North America, and GE Aerospace on a funded project to demonstrate the damage resistance capability of i-DAMP in turbine engine blades.”
In the propulsion sector, Ursa Major continues to push boundaries. The company, known for being the first American firm to fire an oxygen-rich staged combustion engine, secured 138 million USD in Series D and D-1 funding in late 2023. Leveraging additive manufacturing alongside a product-agnostic tooling system, Ursa Major aims to rapidly produce scalable rocket motors. Chief Operating Officer Nick Doucette highlighted two focal points for 2024: “Large platform printing has seen advances… these larger additive machines can print them in single pieces, thus reducing lead time while increasing part performance. High production printing… presents a different challenge: per part costs at volume. Support structures, high volume part consistency, and repeatability are key focus areas.”
Artificial intelligence is becoming integral to AM workflows. RepRap founder Adrian Bowyer remarked: “AI is going to change pretty much everything simply because it gives us an alternative intelligence.” Companies such as Nexa3D, 1000 Kelvin, AI Build, and Markforged are embedding AI into design optimization, inspection, and production processes, enhancing efficiency and precision.
In the energy domain, the University of Birmingham is advancing AM for nuclear fusion applications through the FATHOM2 project, funded by nearly 1.5 million GBP from the UK Atomic Energy Authority. The initiative focuses on scaling up 3D printing and hot isostatic pressing to produce cooled tungsten components for plasma-facing reactor parts. Professor Moataz Attallah noted: “People don’t know how to qualify material or which manufacturing techniques to use.” Phase one proved feasibility with laser powder bed fusion for tungsten cooling structures; phase two aims to replicate material properties at scale.
Construction is also seeing AM-driven change. Mighty Buildings, in collaboration with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Habitat for Humanity, received a 5 million USD grant to develop low-carbon prefabricated townhouses in California using its proprietary LUMUS material, robotics, and automation. CEO Scott Gebicke envisions a future “where affordable, resilient, and energy-efficient homes are the standard, not an exception.”
Japan’s AM adoption is accelerating, exemplified by Kurimoto’s establishment of the country’s largest metal AM facility. Equipped with GF Machining Solutions’ DMP Factory 500, Kurimoto can produce large-scale metal parts with integrated post-processing, targeting aerospace, semiconductor, defence, and electric vehicle sectors. President Hidetoshi Kurimoto affirmed: “Our ambition is to continue to develop 3D printing technology… for next-generation applications in key industries.”
In automotive manufacturing, gigacasting is reshaping production. General Motors’ acquisition of Tooling & Equipment International (TEI), a key Tesla supplier, underscores the competitive push. Binder jetting, used by TEI with Voxeljet’s VX4000 systems, enables complex sand-cast cores for large aluminium structures like Cadillac’s CELESTIQ underbody. Voxeljet CEO Dr. Ingo Ederer observed: “Our production data indicates that there is a growing trend towards larger castings… 3D sand printing is becoming more cost-effective, even for larger quantities.”
Defence applications for AM are expanding, driven by geopolitical pressures and supply chain challenges. SPEE3D’s cold spray technology has attracted investment from the US, Australian, and Japanese governments. CEO Byron Kennedy emphasized: “We need to be quicker on our feet and make real, strong parts, fast… rapid prototyping and making crucial replacement parts on the spot… can be a game-changer on the front line.”
Market dynamics show entry-level 3D printer shipments growing by 9% in 2023, as users opt for affordable hobbyist machines from brands like Creality and Bambu Lab over pricier professional systems. CONTEXT’s Chris Connery sees this segment as “ripe for investment.” Economic conditions may also spur vertical integration, with companies acquiring AM hardware, service, or materials providers to strengthen supply chains, as seen in Align Technology’s purchase of Cubicure and Meta’s acquisition of Luxexcel.