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3D Printing News
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A new system for 3D printing uses a nanoscale mask to make holographic shapes in fewer than 10 seconds. The new method eliminates the leaky seams that tend to occur with layer-by-layer printing. The mask diffracts laser light into a holographic pattern in the desired shape in just one attempt. The prints are made of a specially designed resin made of stringy polymers. The polymer threads crosslink when exposed to laser light. Unexposed parts of the resin can be washed away. Accuracy presents a major challenge since the substrate is not totally transparent and can alter the path of the laser, resulting in blurring. The new mask includes tweaking to the resin and paying attention to the different time lenghts of exposure and curing.

A Belgian startup called Bio Inx has provided inks used aboard the ISS (International Space Station) to 3D print nerve repair implants. This was the first time bio ink from this company was used to print biological structures and tissues in space. On earth, tissues and soft structures tend to collapse under their own weight. In space this is not an issue, so that living cells can be more evenly distributed throughout the printed piece. During the same experiment in space, kidney and liver tissues were also printed.

Researchers at Washington State University have created an electronic skin for prosthetics that can sense pressure and temperature. It is hoped that this new skin can someday help amputees gain feeling in their prosthetics. The electronic skins currently available tend to be expensive, have poor sensing resolution, frequently don't fit people well, and only cover small areas. The researchers used what is called a "scan-model-print" method that gives high density sensing along with the personalized 3D fabrication. The new sensors do not require adhesives. Instead the modules snap together like Legos.

Engineers at MIT have connected bacteria to build circuits able to perform complicated calculations. These circuits, called living transistors, can be printed onto a growth medium in a Petri dish. The scientists hope that one day they will be able to coat plant leaves or roots that could compute and respond to environmental conditions like drought or pest attacks.

Researchers studying wild fish in Lake Tanganyika, with more than 5000 trials, were able to determine how the wild fish make decisions. The scientists studied two cichlid species males, , the "golden featherfin" and the "blue featherfin". These two species build elaborate sand bowers to attract females. These males are meticulous housekeepers that immediately remove any foreign objects inside their bowers. This behavior allowed the scientists to study how decisions are made in the wild by placing 3D printed objects into the bowers and recording which objects the fish removed first. Changing features on the objects like color and complexity immediately impacted the choices made by the wild fish. The scientists were intrigued by how the fish selected information from a complex series of choices. The implications for human behavior require further study but are challenging.

Have you heard of Fuzzy Skin 3D printing? It is described as randomly jittering the outer wall so that the printed surface gets a rough fuzzy look. In practical terms, standard fuzzy skin mainly affects wall or perimeter toolpaths but not generic top and bottom face texturing. Think of it as an outer-surface path effect rather than a wall thickness. The most common uses are grip texture, consumer prototypes, tool handles, props, and vases. Users are warned to keep it away from tolerance-critical surfaces without first testing the actual geometry. It is not the same as adding more walls.

Based in China, Bambu Labs has opened its first retail store in Bangkok, Thailand, which has become one of the company's fastest-growing markets. The company plans to expand the use of 3D printing by working with schools, businesses, and creative communities.

A new 3D printed technique aims to allow engineers to create batteries in almost any shape. The new method enable the production of high-performance batteries into medical devices, wearables, and aerospace components. The system was developed at the University of Texas at El Paso. Traditionally rechargeable batteries use liquid electrolytes that have to be sealed in hard cases. The new process combines a light-sensitive resin with a lithium-based liquid electrolyte. Called vat photopolymerization, it hardens the material layer by layer with light. Another interesting finding was that the material could be be printed under regular lab conditions, without requiring a sealed or oxygen-free environment.

A team at the University of California Berkeley has developed a set of "smart eyes" that can detect moisture damage in real time. Defects that can occur during 3D printing and come from temperature changes, humidity, vibration, airflow, dust, and other contaminants. The team combined artificial intelligence with inexpensive optical sensors that allow the user to pause the printing or adjust the conditions.

This article, suggests ways to finish and smooth your 3D prints so that they look professional. The method is called post-processing and involves the right tools, support removal and surface preparation, sanding, filler primer, chemical smoothing, painting and coloring.

We review many hundreds of articles each month, culling the most significant for you. We also welcome suggestions from our viewers for products and processes that we may have missed.

c. Corinne Whitaker 2026