3D Printing News
Note: we are now including articles on plant-based foods in the field of vegan nutrition.

The sense of touch is often found lacking in 3D prints. This includes characteristics like bumpiness, roughness, or the feel of materials like marble. Engineers at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) are using AI with a tool called TactStyle to replicate tactile qualities from a single image input. The new tool allows for style and texture personalizations that were unavailable previously. It uses generative AI to create a heightfield directly from an image. It also uses a known process called Style2Fab to customize 3D models.

Working with aluminum, 3D scientists have discovered an unconventional component called quasicrystals which appear to strengthen 3D printed metal. Quasicrystals embody a complex pattern that never repeats itself even on a large scale. The discovery is particularly important since aluminum tends to crack during printing, perhaps because it has to be heated to extreme temperatures which are beyond its melting point, thus changing the metal's properties and structure. Quasicrystals appear to block the internal slippage that happens, making the metal more resistant.

Engineers are excited about a color that has never been seen before. Called Olo, it is "unimaginably saturated" and appears to be not visible to the human eye under normal conditions. The color appears only when M cones are activated by ultra-precise laser light. Without this stimulant, the color is totally invisible. Olo has been compared to a deeply saturated turquoise.

Chinese engineers have figured out how to 3D print bricks made of lunar soil. Their process uses a parabolic reflector to concentrate solar energy, with fiber optics transmitting the energy at a strength capable of melting lunar soil.

Starbuck's has just opened its first 3D printed shop in Brownsville, Texas, where it will provide walk-up service (without indoor seating) and drive-through. The exterior of the 1,400 square foot building is constructed using concrete with large corrugated slabs and rounded corners.

Addressing a common problem of left-over metal parts, Continuum Powders has succeeded in changing roughly one ton of nickel scrap per week into high quality metal powder suitable for 3D printing. The scrap metal came fron facilities that repair equipment like generators and turbines. Continuum Powders used its patented plasma atomization method, increasing the supply chain and benefitting the environment.

A new study from Concordia University, Montreal, and the University of California, Davis, discusses the use of Holographic Direct Sound Printing (HDSP) to fabricate materials like resin into precise 3D forms. The new process employed an acoustic hologram to print in one step. A robotic arm helped to define the required path. The technique shows promise for eventual use for medical applications like tissue repair.

Cornell University alums have developed the Smart Cup which needs only the addition of water to produce a flavored drink. Originally the plastic cup looks empty except for some decorative colors on the bottom. Future applications are hoped to include food, medications, supplements and micronutrients.

A company called PoLoPo has just completed the designs for its first pilot-scale facility to turn genetically modified potatoes into protein powder. PoLoPo specializes in molecular farming. During a recent field trial, the company produced a 5 ton harvest of protein enriched potatoes. Late last year they moved from greenhouse production to open field harvesting. The new facility will feature machinery to clean and crush the potatoes as well as equipment to purify and spray-dry.

Occupational therapists are combining 3D printing with virtual reality for chronic medical conditions or disabilities. VR rhythm games like Beat Saber can reveal players' reflexes, eye-hand coordination and balance. Other programs like Google Earth VR can help patients recall locations previously visited or assist with routes to doctor's offices or grocery stores.

3D Systems' Solution has been used to produce the world's first 3D printed facial implant. A clean-room and post-processing workflow enabled use of a patient-specific device right at the hospital. The company claims that it has done more than 80 successful cranial implant surgeries at coordinating hospitals.

Japan announces that it has 3D printed a world-first train station in just 2 hours. The building stands 20 feet wide and 8.6 fee tall and includes several seating areas. The structure was 3D printed in parts which were then transported and assembled at the site.

One note of caution: many companies are using high-tech and confusing language to disguise the fact that plastics are part of their product or their process, especially in the food industry. Buyer beware. Demand an easy-to-understand explanation before you eat or buy.

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 2025