Danish toy manufacturer LEGO Group has unveiled its holiday lineup, headlined by the LEGO Icons Holiday Express Train—its first set to include a mass-produced 3D printed component. The part, a functional train component, combines standard LEGO connectors with a design enabled by additive manufacturing (AM).
The 956-piece toy is designed as a festive display and includes a 16-piece circular track that can be arranged on a table or around a Christmas tree. Ronen Hadar, Head of Additive Design & Manufacturing at LEGO, explained that the 3D printed train is produced using an EOS 3D printer with FDR technology. FDR is a powder-based polymer 3D printing system that uses an ultra-fine CO₂ laser to achieve high precision and intricate details.
“The elements were produced using a Fine Detail Resolution platform, giving high accuracy and quality to the element, on par with our standard quality and safety requirements. This is only possible thanks to our incredible engineering teams. What an amazing job,” said Hadar.
In 2022, LEGO introduced its first official 3D printed piece—a LEGO duck given to guests at a LEGO House AFOL event—but it was not mass-produced. The Holiday Express Train set marks the first time LEGO has offered a 3D printed piece at scale.
The set will be available to LEGO Insiders on October 1, 2025, with general release on October 4, 2025, priced at USD 129.99 (EUR$119.99).
3D Printing in Toys
LEGO’s adoption of 3D printing reflects a growing trend in the toy industry toward additive manufacturing. In 2019, French 3D printer manufacturer Dagoma launched Operation Toy Rescue, an initiative to repair toys using 3D printed spare parts. Through the Toy Rescue website, users can find printable files for hard-to-replace parts—from Lightning McQueen to popular Pokémon figures. Dagoma explains that the platform was created to address the large number of toys discarded due to missing parts, reducing environmental waste. “With Toy Rescue, everyone has the opportunity to repair an item that would otherwise be thrown away,” the company says.
Elsewhere, Nicolas Tokotuu, designer and founder of Nikoss Toys from the Pacific island of Wallis and Futuna, is using 3D printing to address the island’s limited access to toys. He has developed several figurine series, including Nikoss’ Animals, Nikoss’ Insects, Nikoss’ Dinosaurs, Nikoss’ Creatures, and Nikoss’ Fish. Figurines were specifically chosen for their ability to inspire children to create interactive stories, fostering creativity and imaginative play.
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Featured photo shows LEGO Icons Holiday Express Train. Image via LEGO.
