It’s time to find out who won the 2024 3D Printing Industry Awards.
This year, we celebrate the most innovative 3D printing applications, the leading 3D printing startups, and more established companies, such as the 3D printing industry company of the year.
The awards endeavor to represent the rich diversity across the industry; this year’s winners, honorable mentions, and nominees span the market from desktop to industrial. We are always seeking ways to improve, so please get in touch with any suggestions.
Winners of the 3D Printing Industry Awards are selected by readers and also the 3DPI Expert Committee. Would you like to join the committee to select the winners for 2025 and shape the future of the 3DPI Awards? Apply here.
Winners of the 2024 3D Printing Industry Awards
3D Designer of the Year
Winner: Divergent 3D
Honorable Mention: Andreas Vlahinos – Optimized Heat Exchanger
3D Scanning or Metrology Company
Winner: Shining3D
Honorable Mention: Artec 3D
Academic, research team, or project
Winner: Singapore Centre for 3D Printing
Honorable Mention: ADAPT Center, Colorado School of Mines
“In the year that we are celebrating our 10th anniversary this an important milestone and the recognition of our role in developing, promoting and pushing the boundaries of additive manufacturing,” said Prof. Paulo Jorge Bártolo, Executive Director, Singapore Centre for 3D Printing (SC3DP). “Together with a large number of industrial partners we are shaping the future of additive manufacturing, developing faster, more reliable, and smart additive manufacturing systems and using additive manufacturing as a platform to develop novel materials with improved and controlled properties for aerospace and defense, biomedical engineering, building and construction, electronics, and marine & offshore applications,” added Prof. Bártolo.
Aerospace, Space, or Defense Application
Winner: NASA JPL with REM Surface Engineering, PBF-LB/Ti-6Al-4V Crush Lattices for Mars Sample Return Mission
Honorable Mention: Sintavia – AM for the Next-Generation of Hypersonic Propulsion
Dr. Ryan T Watkins, PhD, Research Scientist, Materials Development & Additive Manufacturing at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, said, “Doing something new is always hard. Doing something new on a flagship NASA mission is even harder. The team has done a great job making this 3D printed crushable lattice a reality, ranging from the development of UnitcellHub, a new opensource lattice design software tool, to the development of a novel chemical etching postprocess with our partner REM Surface Finishing to enable ultra-low density crushables. In many ways, this work exemplifies our work in the 3D printing industry, and NASA as a whole, using it to create light, high performance structures in ways that were never before possible.”
Justin Michaud, CEO at REM Surface Engineering, said, “For REM, being a part of winning this award is a validation and celebration of the work that we have been doing in the metal AM industry for the past ~15 years. So much of what we do, supporting AM applications with our surface finishing technology, is highly confidential, and, as a result, we often don’t get to share or discuss the advancements and capabilities that we help to enable. As a company, we often say that we are the folks to come to with the hard challenges, and Dr. Watkins certainly did! From targeting wall thicknesses of ~100 µm to executing >80% as printed mass reductions with tolerances of <0.5%, this work certainly pushed REM to increase our capabilities. But, NASA JPL is one of our longest-running and most consistent customers, and we’re proud of the trust we have gained and the partner-like relationship we share with them. So, to be a part of winning this award in support of NASA JPL’s crush lattice project is exceptionally rewarding.”
“The concept of lattice structures was envisioned since the very beginning of the 3D printing revolution. Unfortunately, their complexity has slowed their adoption. My hope is that this work emboldens others to push into this emerging design domain to do things in ways that we’ve never done them before,” added Dr. Watkins.
REM Surface Engineering’s Justin Michaud continued, “The work that Dr. Watkins has led and that we have supported in developing lightweight crush lattices has potentially broad applications across a range of industries. Protecting the Mars Samples is obviously a very challenging application, but the potential to apply these concepts to aerospace, automotive, and other applications is significant. For REM specifically, the increased process control that this work drove within has already led to several of new capability enhancements and associated work in areas such as complex heat exchanger applications. There aren’t many technologies that can controllably remove loose and partially sintered powder from complex, multi-domain internal surface applications, but much of the work we did with JPL on these crush lattices has led to and aided in our ability to address the inherent cleanliness issues of these printed components. In general, working with JPL and other NASA branches has been a huge benefit to both REM and the metal AM industry as they fund the research that is needed to push these advanced manufacturing capabilities forward.”
Community Advocate of the Year
Winner: Duann Scott, Director 3MF Consortium
Honorable Mention: Teula Bradshaw, Sanjay Mortimer Foundation
Duann Scott, Director of the 3MF Consortium and winner of the 2024 3DPI Award’s Community Advocate of the Year said, “As the additive manufacturing industry grows through it’s painful adolescence and matures into becoming a productive part of the broader manufacturing ecosystem, contributing more than just naive enthusiasm and good looks, it is critical that the software we use to create the designs help direct this brash upstart to really start paying it’s way in society. That the information/data we feed the machines have all of the nutrient rich data required for healthy and sustained growth into manufacturing adulthood.
I am thankful for the opportunity through the CDFAM Computational Design Symposium, 3MF Consortium and MIT AMX to help build the community of people capable of nurturing this growth, the positive affects it will have on our society for generations, and the recognition from 3DPI with this award that reflects more on the people I have worked with and learned from along the way, than anything I have done to help them,” added Duann Scott, Director 3MF Consortium.
Teula Bradshaw, CEO Sanjay Mortimer Foundation, said, “We are deeply honoured to receive this recognition from the 3D Printing Industry Awards. For the Sanjay Mortimer Foundation (SMF), this high ranking by readers and experts serves as a powerful validation of our mission: to empower young neurodiverse engineers and makers to realise their potential and thrive in industries like 3D printing.
This acknowledgment reflects not only the passion we pour into our work but also the industry’s shared belief in the unique contributions neurodiverse individuals bring. By supporting them, we aim to ensure that no talent slips through the cracks and that these brilliant minds can access opportunities to innovate and grow.
This recognition amplifies our mission and demonstrates that the 3D printing community values inclusivity and diverse perspectives. We are incredibly grateful for this support, which encourages us to continue fostering creativity, confidence, and empowerment in future innovators.”
Bradshaw added, “The Sanjay Mortimer Foundation believes that neurodiverse minds are uniquely suited to the ever-evolving world of 3D printing. Their ability to think differently, challenge conventions, and explore creative solutions aligns perfectly with an industry that thrives on innovation and rapid change.
By providing mentorship, resources, and opportunities, we aim to build a pipeline of talented individuals whose unique perspectives can drive the next wave of breakthroughs in 3D printing. These young engineers and makers not only bring fresh ideas to the table but also represent a crucial step toward creating a more inclusive and dynamic workforce within the industry.
This honourable mention by the 3D Printing Industry Awards reinforces our belief in this mission, and we are excited to see how the individuals we support will shape the future of additive manufacturing.”
Company of the year (Enterprise)
Winner: Autodesk
Honorable Mention: Nikon SLM Solutions
Alexander Freund, Director Product Management, Fusion Manufacturing at Autodesk said, “Being selected as Company of the Year (Enterprise) for 2024 is a tremendous honor for us, especially given the strength of the nominees. It reaffirms our belief that our approach—creating an affordable, easy-to-use, yet incredibly powerful mass-market platform like Fusion—is truly driving Additive Manufacturing toward becoming a mainstream technology.”
Company of the year (Personal)
Winner: Bambu Lab
Honorable Mention: Prusa Research
“Winning Company of the Year means the world to us, thank you so much to everyone who voted for us. Our team has poured their hearts into creating printers that don’t just sit on specs sheets but make a real difference in people’s creative and professional lives. This award really belongs to our entire team who’ve worked tirelessly to bring reliable, high-performance 3D printing to more people than ever before,” said Nadia Yaakoubi, Head of PR and Comms at Bambu Lab.
Desktop FFF 3D Printer of the Year
Winner: Bambu Lab A1 & AMS
Honorable Mention: Prusa Research XL
“We’re thrilled about the A1 and AMS winning Printer of the Year because it represents exactly what we’re all about – building technology that combines powerful capabilities with real ease of use. We believe 3D printing should be accessible to everyone, from hobbyists to professionals. This award motivates us to keep breaking barriers and empowering creators everywhere,” said Nadia Yaakoubi, Head of PR and Communications at Bambu Lab.
Desktop non-FFF 3D Printer of the Year
Winner: Formlabs Form 4
Honorable Mention: Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra
Dávid Lakatos CPO at Formlabs said, “Form 4 is a massive leap in our mission to enable anyone to bring their ideas to life. We invested years of development into creating Form 4 to usher in a new era of resin 3D printing, with blazing fast speeds and unprecedented reliability. We’re honored the expert committee and readers at the 2024 3D Printing Industry Awards recognized Form 4’s impact by naming it the Desktop non-FFF 3D Printer of the Year.”
The Formlabs CPO added, “We made 3D printing affordable and accessible, and Form 4 has accelerated 3D printing activity and adoption. The printer’s high speeds and reliability have caught the attention of customers at top brands including NASA, Ford, and Microsoft, and we expect this fast printer to continue to expand 3D printing applications across new industries and use cases. 3D printing has historically never had the speeds and reliability to outpace injection molding, and Form 4 is the first 3D printer that enables innovators, manufacturers, and product designers to reimagine products with flexible design and fast print times at an affordable price.”
Enterprise 3D Printer of the Year (Metals)
Winner: Meltio M600
Honorable Mention: EOS M290
Lukas Hoppe, Meltio‘s Research & Development Director, said, “We thank the entire audience and the 3DPI AM family for the award given this year 2024 to Meltio and its new and most powerful industrial metal 3D printer, Meltio M600. This recognition is a support to all the innovation effort of all the teams that are part of Meltio. The design brief for the new Meltio M600 was to imagine what the perfect 3D printer for the machine shop would look like. The vast majority of metal 3D printed parts require post-processing which is carried out in the machine shop and since our ambition is to push the large-scale adoption of metal additive manufacturing we have a very clear vision that the modern machine shop is the ideal point of entry. Manufacturing faces many challenges globally, from long lead times and stock-keeping costs caused by long and fragile supply chains to an ever-growing pressure to lower costs and reduce emissions.
3D Printing has huge potential to address these issues as it helps reduce lead times, and manufacturing dependencies by printing parts in-house, reduces warehouse inventory as the raw material can be transformed into the final part on demand, and reduces costs by applying material only where it is needed.”
Meltio’s R&D Director added, “The Meltio M600 for us was really the next logical step on our continuous journey towards mass adoption of Wire-Laser DED, the process all Meltio systems are based on. We began this work in earnest in 2019 when we started to leave the prototyping space with the launch of the Meltio M450. After learning from and improving the technology for three years, the time was finally ripe for us to work on the next system. Our goal with the Meltio M600 was to strike the right balance between machine size, cost, and productivity while being uncompromising on quality, reliability, and ease of use. To achieve this, we did not just create a “scaled up” M450, instead, we developed every single part of the machine from scratch to take the technology to the next level, based on the learnings of having manufactured and installed over 400 Laser Meltio DED systems around the world from 2019.”
Enterprise 3D printer of the year (polymers)
Winner: EOS FORMIGA P 110 FDR
Honorable Mention: Axtra3D Lumia X1
Virginia Palacios, Chief Business Officer (CBO) Polymer Solutions at EOS said, “Winning this award is a significant reward for our team, highlighting our position as an innovation leader within the 3D printing industry. It validates the hard work and customer centricity behind the development of FDR and reflects our dedication to pushing technological boundaries and solving customer challenges. This technology enables the manufacturing of previously unattainable levels of fine detail, allowing our customers to explore new fields of application and enter new markets for 3D printing. This recognition underscores our role in shaping the industry’s future, driving innovation, precision, and scalability, and motivating us to continue advancing the technology for even greater impact.”
Palacios continued, “Our work is focused on production applications, with the goal of enabling positive business cases and differentiation via greater precision, detail accuracy, and production efficiency across industries. Innovations like FDR enable the development of new applications and markets that are not accessible to traditional manufacturing. We believe the awarded FORMIGA P 110 FDR is ideal for exploring these new territories, while the EOS P 500 FDR enables production at scale. We meet the needs of our customers at various stages of the adoption cycle and facilitate acceleration with our comprehensive set of Additive Minds services. Our focus on advancing technology will help make 3D printing more sustainable, cost-effective, and scalable, ultimately transforming how products are designed, produced, and brought to market across various industries.”
Rajeev Kulkarni, Chief Strategy Officer, Axtra3D said, “Receiving an honorable mention for Enterprise 3D Printer of the Year (Polymers) is a proud recognition of the dedication, innovation, and commitment we’ve invested in advancing additive manufacturing with our Hybrid PhotoSynthesis (HPS) technology.
At Axtra3D, our mission has always been to enable photopolymerization-based production without compromises, delivering a seamless balance of print throughput, surface quality, accuracy, resolution, and part size. By merging the best attributes of laser-based SLA and projector-based DLP into one cohesive system, we have set a new standard for production 3D Printing.
This recognition is a testament to the transformative value our Lumia X1 brings to customers, helping them push the boundaries of what’s possible with additive manufacturing. It inspires us to continue driving innovation and empowering manufacturers to surpass the limitations of conventional SLA and DLP technologies.”
Axtra3D’s CSO added, “Our mission is to enable a future where manufacturing is smarter, faster, and more sustainable. By integrating cutting-edge technology with the business elements that matter most to our customers, we aim to not only advance the industry but also equip our customers with the tools they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape. We are proud to help shape the future of 3D printing, creating pathways for innovation and business success.”
Innovation of the year
Winner: MIT 3D Printed Glass Bricks
Honorable Mention: xolo Volumetric 3D printing
Stephan Kühr, Chief Commercial Officer at xolo GmbH, said, “This recognition highlights the growing excitement around using 3D printing for advanced applications like fabricating lenses and optical elements in seconds. It’s validation from the 3D printing community that our Xolography technology is addressing real market needs and creating new possibilities. This acknowledgment inspires us to collaborate with even more innovators eager to push boundaries.”
Continuing xolo’s CCO added, “Xolography is one of the very few technologies that can truly scale 3D printing. Its layer-free approach enables fast and precise production of isotropic structures, making it uniquely suited for large-scale manufacturing in applications like optics, bioprinting, and beyond. As we refine and expand our capabilities, we aim to close the gap between prototyping and mass production, unlocking groundbreaking potential across industries.”
Material Company of the Year
Winner: Metal Powder Works
Honorable Mention: 6K Additive
John Barnes, CEO, Metal Powder Works said, “This was a true David and Goliath story from the outset. My Co-Founder Chris Aldridge and I set out to re-think what feedstocks needed to be for metal AM, and consistency was at the top. We only started producing powder for customers in 2022 and now to be nominated in the same group as last year’s winner BASF, and this year’s nominees is incredible! This is truly a testament to our team, who have worked so hard to bring the DirectPowder™ systems online and offer 16 metal powders that are the most consistent, the highest quality, price competitive, and emit less CO2.”
The Metal Powder Works CEO added, “AM needs more production of more powders and our technology accomplishes this with a very high efficiency and low powder size distribution. Starting with premium bar stock, our innovative technology converts these alloys for customers and will be the ONLY dedicated domestic source for the full range of copper and bronze alloys.”
Medical Dental or Healthcare Application
Winner: Stryker’s Infinity Total Ankle System
Honorable Mention: Lithoz & Profactor INKplant – First Ceramic Jaw Implant
Mobility or Energy Application
Winner: General Motors – Cadillac Celestiq EV with 100+ 3D Printed Components
Honorable Mention: Oak Ridge National Lab & DoE – Hydropower Generation with Rapid RUNNERS
Brennon White, Technical Specialist – Advanced Manufacturing, General Motors, said, “It’s incredibly special for our team to win this award given the time and effort we’ve put into expanding our technical expertise in additive manufacturing. With more than 100 3D printed parts in the production vehicle, the CELESTIQ demonstrates GMs broadest use of additive manufacturing which is extremely unique.”
GM’s White added, “The investment GM has made in additive manufacturing is a clear indicator of the company’s confidence in this technology and its potential. We definitely see significant opportunity for the use of this technology in additional programs in the future.”
Software tool or company of the year
Winner: Orca Slicer
Honorable Mention: nTop
Li Jiang (aka Softfever) founder and maintainer of the OrcaSlicer project, Noisyfox, main contributor, and Ioannis Giannakas(aka igiannakas), main contributor, told us more about what winning the 3DPI Award means, “It’s truly a blast! Winning this award means a great deal to our open-source community and me personally. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all contributors who have played their part in making Orca Slicer what it is today. This recognition reflects our commitment to innovation and excellence in the 3D printing industry, as well as our mission to provide accessible and high-quality software that meets the diverse needs of the community, from new users to the geeks.”
The Orca Slicer team continued, “We’re super excited about pushing the boundaries in 3D printing! We plan to keep innovating and making Orca Slicer even better, so it can help everyone—from beginners to experts—create amazing things. Whether it’s for off-the-shelf printers or DIY printers, we want to make sure Orca Slicer makes 3D printing more accessible and fun for all users.”
Start-up of the Year
Winner: Hyphen Innovations
Honorable Mention: 3D Spark
“We are truly honored to receive this award. Though we don’t do what we do for trophies, receiving one certainly is a validation metric for our contribution to the desired prevalence of 3D printing in aerospace over the past two years. This recognition from a committee of experts in the field of 3D printing let’s me know that Hyphen is on the right track with the work we’re doing,” said, Onome Scott-Emuakpor, CEO, Hyphen Innovations.
The Hyphen Innovations CEO added, “With the fuel from this prestigious award, we envision that our work will be propelled to new heights in the coming year. We’re going to push the envelope on what is acceptable in aerospace design and manufacturing, and we will rapidly demonstrate the viability of 3D printing for critical aircraft engine parts.”
Ruben Meuth, CEO and Founder at 3D Spark said, “his recognition means a lot to our team. It reflects the impact of our work in enabling faster and smarter decisions in manufacturing leveraging 3D Spark’s manufacturability assurance, precise costing, 1-Click-RFQs, Make-or-Buy decision support, auto-quoting, and CO2 reporting. It’s another great validation that that we are addressing real challenges in the industry and delivering value to our customers.”
“Whilst we’re passionate about AM, our vision is technology-agnostic: a ‘Google Maps for manufacturing’, helping our customers to easily find the cheapest, quickest, and most sustainable way to produce a part, whether that’s AM or a conventional technology. By enabling companies compare thousands of production and procurement options, we aim to make manufacturing more efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective,” added 3D Spark’s Meuth.
Sustainability in Additive Manufacturing
Winner: 6K Additive
Honorable Mention: WASP & United Nations
Frank Roberts, President at 6K Additive said, “We are honored to be recognized by 3DPI’s readers and industry experts as leaders in sustainability for additive manufacturing. Since our inception our mantra has always been to take zero material from the ground and put nothing back into the ground. Our operations follow this mantra every day, and it has helped us be recognized by 3DPI and others specific to sustainability. We are also very grateful for the recognition as a leading materials supplier to the industry. The growth of refractory metals in AM has been huge and we are leading the industry with materials like tungsten, C103 and hard to produce materials such as tungsten/rhenium. In 2025, we look forward to new sustainability achievements and helping our customers with new refractory applications in areas like nuclear fusion, energy, and aerospace.”
Value-added Reseller of the Year
Winner: MatterHackers
Honorable Mention: Solid Print3D
Lars Brubaker, CEO of MatterHackers said, “Winning the Value-added Reseller of the Year award is an incredible honor for all of us at MatterHackers. It is a testament to our team’s dedication to providing exceptional service, innovative solutions, and comprehensive support to our customers. This award reflects our commitment to empowering makers, educators, and businesses by making 3D printing accessible and practical for everyone. We are deeply grateful to the community for their support and recognition, as it validates our efforts to not only meet but exceed the expectations of the 3D printing community. This award inspires us to continue contributing positively to the industry’s growth and development.”
Brubaker added, “At MatterHackers, we envision our work as a catalyst for innovation and creativity in the 3D printing space. We are committed to expanding the reach and potential of 3D printing by providing cutting-edge products, educational resources, and unparalleled support. We are particularly proud to be expanding our business by offering print services and maintenance packages/repair, which ensure that our customers can rely on their 3D printing equipment to perform optimally. These services allow us to support a broader range of applications and industries, ensuring that 3D printing remains a viable and efficient solution for complex challenges. Our goal is to continue driving advancements in technology that will enable new applications across various industries, from healthcare and education to aerospace and manufacturing. By fostering a community of makers and innovators, we aim to inspire and equip the next generation of creators to push the boundaries of what’s possible with 3D printing.”
| 3D Printing Industry Award Category | Winner |
| 3D Designer of the Year | Divergent 3D |
| 3D Scanning or Metrology Company | Shining3D |
| Academic, research team, or project | Singapore Centre for 3D Printing |
| Aerospace, Space or Defense Application | NASA JPL with REM Surface Engineering |
| Community Advocate of the Year | Duann Scott, Director 3MF Consortium |
| Company of the year (Enterprise) | Autodesk |
| Company of the year (Personal) | Bambu Lab |
| Desktop FFF 3D Printer of the Year | Bambu Lab A1 & AMS |
| Desktop non-FFF 3D Printer of the Year | Formlabs Form 4 |
| Enterprise 3D Printer of the Year (Metals) | Meltio M600 |
| Enterprise 3D printer of the year (polymers) | EOS FORMIGA P 110 FDR |
| Innovation of the year | MIT 3D Printed Glass Bricks |
| Material Company of the Year | Metal Powder Works |
| Medical Dental or Healthcare Application | Stryker’s Infinity Total Ankle System |
| Mobility or Energy Application | General Motors – Cadillac Celestiq EV |
| Software tool or company of the year | Orca Slicer |
| Start-up of the Year | Hyphen Innovations |
| Sustainability in Additive Manufacturing | 6K Additive |
| Value-added Reseller of the Year | MatterHackers |
Follow the link for a full list and description of all 2024 3D Printing Industry Awards nominees.
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