In this edition of SLICED, the 3D Printing Industry news digest, we highlight developments in additive manufacturing (AM) education, partnerships for powder supply, platform expansions in metal and ceramics, and awards for defense sustainment projects.
Read on for updates from EOS, Jax State, Endeavor 3D, Titomic, Amaero, Kanfit, XJet, the University of Sydney, America Makes, and more.
Partnerships by Jax State, EOS, America Makes, and Endeavor 3D
Kicking off, Alabama public university Jax State has expanded its additive manufacturing curriculum by partnering with industrial 3D printing developer EOS North America’s Additive Minds applied engineering group through the Ignite Program. The initiative combines online and hybrid modules with hands-on use of production-grade equipment, including a second EOS M 290 laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) metal 3D printer. Matt Rosser, Director of the Center for Manufacturing Support at Jax State, said the program strengthens workforce development by combining industrial training with the university’s AM facilities.
“We’re excited to deepen our commitment to additive manufacturing education through the Ignite Program,” said Rosser, noting the lab now totals more than $3 million in AM assets. Fabian Alefeld, Global Director of Business Development and Additive Minds Academy at EOS, said, “The Ignite Program was built to bridge the gap between industrial needs and education.”
Separately, Georgia-based contract manufacturer Endeavor 3D has joined U.S. public-private partnership America Makes. Membership provides access to collaborative R&D projects, standards development, and workforce initiatives. Phil Arnold, Chief Executive Officer of Endeavor 3D, said joining the network supports the company’s plan to expand domestic manufacturing capacity while contributing real-world production knowledge.
John Wilczynski, Executive Director of America Makes, said Endeavor 3D’s investment in scalable AM systems, commitment to reshoring, and customer-first model would bring value to members across the coalition. Founded in 2012 under the Department of War, America Makes is managed by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) and leads research in materials, processes, and standards.
In parallel, Australian cold spray additive manufacturing company Titomic has signed a long-term supply and development agreement with refractory and titanium alloy powder producer Amaero. A central feature of the agreement is the assurance that powders qualified during Titomic’s development programs will be identical to those used in production.
“For Titomic this partnership gives us the confidence that the powders we use for qualification and development will be the same powders that are available for production,” said CEO and Managing Director Jim Simpson. Amaero Chairman and CEO Hank J. Holland framed the deal around U.S. defense and aerospace demand, calling it a shared push for resilient, scalable, and competitive material supply.
Business Deals and Acquisitions by the University of Sydney and Kanfit
Moving on to acquisitions news, the University of Sydney has installed its first MELD machine at the Sydney Manufacturing Hub’s Metallurgical Facility for Solid State Additive Manufacturing to expand research. The facility will use MELD Manufacturing’s patented Additive Friction Stir Deposition (AFSD) process, which operates without melting to produce dense, defect-free metal parts.
Led by Dr. Anna Paradowska, the program targets high-entropy and novel alloys, civil and transport asset repair, and AI-assisted process control, with collaborations planned across Australian institutions. MELD Manufacturing, based in Virginia, developed the open-atmosphere solid state process to produce dense parts while preserving material properties for aerospace, defense, energy, and shipbuilding use cases.
Separately, Israeli precision manufacturer Kanfit has expanded into metal and ceramic additive manufacturing by acquiring two NanoParticle Jetting (NPJ) systems from Israeli metal and ceramic AM technology developer XJet. The new Carmel 5000X system supports stainless steel production, while the Carmel 1400C enables ceramic manufacturing.
“With XJet’s metal and ceramic solutions, we can help our customers push the boundaries of innovation,” said Kanfit CEO Avi Danon. “Kanfit’s expertise in aerospace and medical manufacturing makes them the ideal partner to bring our technology to market,” says Guy Zimmerman, CEO at XJet. “Together, we are unlocking new opportunities for advanced, high-value production worldwide.”
America Makes Award in Funding Projects
Looking ahead to awards news, America Makes and its managing body, the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), awarded $920,000 in funding for projects focused on sustainment repairs and beam shaping in additive manufacturing. The initiative, backed by the Department of War’s Manufacturing Technology Office, supports research in directed energy deposition (DED), cold spray, and laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). John Martin, AM Research Director at America Makes, said the program targeted the most urgent needs in defense, including repair technologies and precise control of material deposition.
The awardees include RTX Technology Research Center, working with the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology on sustainment, and the Colorado School of Mines, collaborating with DMG MORI, nLight, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology for LPBF beam shaping. Results will be reported at America Makes events during the project phase.
Digital scanning to brass casting by Culinary Concepts
Shifting focus to 3D scanning news, UK luxury homeware brand Culinary Concepts has commissioned on-demand 3D scanning and printing provider CDG Replik8 to create a lifelike brass crab serving dish for a London restaurant, using a FreeScan Combo+ [Laser+IR] capture, Geomagic Design X CAD, and a VisiJet M2P-CST Crystal resin master printed on a 3D Systems ProJet 2500 Plus.
“By using a real crab and having it 3D scanned and printed, we were able to deliver what would otherwise have been nearly impossible,” said Emma Jane B., Creative Designer at Culinary Concepts, adding that mirrored legs ensured alignment before casting.
Replik8 documented a two-step scan, first a 90-line pass for overall geometry, then single-line capture at 0.02 mm accuracy for shell details, before splitting parts for brass moulds and welding. “We also mirrored the back legs digitally to ensure stability,” said Morgan Chapon, marketing manager at Replik8, citing the tight turnaround required before the specimen thawed.
Pharmacy-first 3D printing enters U.S. compounding
Finally, in medical news, U.S. compounding-focused innovator Pete Pharma has partnered with pharmaceutical 3D printing company FABRX, a University College London spin-out, to bring a validated, pharmacy-first additive platform into American practice. FABRX, founded in 2014, developed the M3DIMAKER for personalized medicines and has deployed its technology across hospitals and research centers.
Dan Siddall, Founder of Pete Pharma, said compounding pharmacies have long sought innovations to improve efficiency, compliance, and personalization, and described the collaboration as the start of a new era for the sector. FABRX’s decade of clinical and academic work on dosing precision and digital traceability will be adapted to U.S. workflows, while Pete Pharma emphasized that the model is structured around patient outcomes rather than equipment sales.
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Featured photo shows Jax State Metal AM Lab. Photo via EOS.
