3D Printing

Europe's largest 3D-printed apartment building has been completed in France. Containing 12 social housing apartments spread across three floors, the project's printing process was carried out in just 34 days.

A patent filed in 1985 is being dusted off as a source of inspiration for a new 3D-printed triangular-shaped zipper that seamlessly fastens chairs, tents, robots and purses, making them simpler to pack and set up just with a press of a button.

In 2025, data centers consumed 485 TWh of electricity. 30% of that, more than the entire annual power consumption of Sweden, went to cooling. Scientists have developed a 3D-printed copper plate cooling tech that can slash this figure by over 90%!

The day is coming when you may walk past a robot and not know it was a robot. Engineering has given robots skeletons, brains, and senses. Muscles, however, have remained elusive. Researchers have developed a new muscle system involving 3D printing.

A desktop-sized 3D printer can now write working electronic circuits directly onto a broad range of surfaces without burning them. The secret is microwaves, focused with surgical precision onto a spot no wider than a human hair.

Australia's Hypersonix Launch Systems has made a historic launch of its next-generation DART AE hypersonic aircraft from Wallops Island, Virginia. Taking off aboard Rocket Lab's HASTE launch vehicle, the DART AE reached a top speed of Mach 8.

Described as Japan's first two-story 3D-printed home, the O House is inspired by cave structures. Built to meet the country's strict seismic requirements, it combines cutting-edge robotic construction with earthquake-resistant engineering.

There are all kinds of critical infrastructure lying underwater – road and rail tunnels, pipelines for oil and gas, dams, and more. Could we simply 3D print such projects beneath the surface of the ocean? Cornell University is about to find out.

This year has produced more than its fair share of fantastic buildings. From a house that was 3D printed using soil, to an upcoming megatall skyscraper, here's our selection of the best architecture from the past 12 months.

Described as Europe's largest 3D-printed housing project, the Skovsporet development is currently underway in Denmark. A total of 36 student apartments have been built with remarkable speed, with more than one apartment per day printed.

Although we've heard a lot about how 3D-printing concrete homes speeds up the construction process, you still have to wait up to 28 days for the concrete to sufficiently cure. A new printable substitute, however, is ready to go in just three days.

Xlaserlab's E3 is a fast, ultra-detailed UV galvo laser that makes engraving clean and easy with the help of AI and computer vision – no soot, no warp, and no "oh no, it's on fire again!" moments.