Some things seem obvious - but only after someone articulates them. We sort of know they’re true, it’s not exactly a groundbreaking revelation, yet for some reason, until someone says it out loud, the topic barely exists…
That’s exactly what happened last week at the ICAM 2025 conference at the ASTM Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence, where Thomas Pomorski, Director of Additive Manufacturing at Ursa Major, gave a talk that stirred up quite a bit of discussion in the metal 3D printing community.
For the first time, Pomorski openly and concretely defined a new software-driven architecture for scaling AM - one based on software, not hardware.
His message was clear: for additive manufacturing to achieve truly capital-efficient scale, the industry must adopt a new approach focused on software, data, automation, and collaboration.
Ursa Major is an American company leading in the design and production of advanced propulsion systems for the defense, hypersonic, and space sectors.
Its engines, known for high thrust in a compact package and advanced features like vector control and restart capability, are key components supporting U.S. defense readiness and space exploration.
The company has been using additive technologies - particularly metal AM - for many years.
Since July of this year, Ursa Major has been working closely with Dyndrite, a developer of advanced additive manufacturing software. Dyndrite’s flagship product, LPBF Pro, is an innovative, fully scriptable environment for preparing laser powder bed fusion processes.
This partnership - between a producer of high-performance critical components and a creator of cutting-edge software - has begun to transform the landscape of industrial AM.
Ursa Major’s collaboration with Dyndrite aimed to solve a long-standing bottleneck: broken workflow integration.
Despite rapid advances in hardware - machines, sensors, and materials - the workflows have remained largely manual, opaque, and fragmented. Qualification cycles take months or even years.
As every machine behaves a bit differently, data is scattered across separate systems, and every new geometry triggers a costly and time-consuming trial-and-error qualification process.
As Pomorski emphasized in his talk, these limitations have kept additive manufacturing to only a few percent of the global manufacturing market.
He stated clearly: the main barrier to scaling 3D printing is no longer the machines - it’s the lack of software and process automation.
For over a decade, AM development has focused on machine parameters - laser power, scan speed, build volume. Meanwhile, Ursa Major observed that even the best machines cannot guarantee repeatability when every step - from file preparation to process control to part qualification - is performed manually, in isolated systems, without a unified data record.
This is what Pomorski referred to as an “existential problem” for American manufacturing - because without this shift, additive manufacturing will never reach true industrial-scale production.
The second breakthrough came with the presentation of a practical model of “software-defined AM,” built through collaboration with Dyndrite.
Ursa Major showcased a concrete architecture in which the entire workflow - from design to qualification - is driven by code rather than by clicking through a user interface.
Using Dyndrite LPBF Pro, engineers can programmatically define process parameters, generate laser toolpaths, analyze real-time print data, and automatically compare it to simulation models.
This means a transition from a “black box” (where machine behavior is opaque) to a fully transparent, auditable, and repeatable production system, where every decision and every parameter set is recorded and reproducible.
Pomorski and Dyndrite also introduced the concept of “software-defined delta qualification,” a method for shortening and automating the qualification of new parts, materials, and machines.
In traditional processes, every change in geometry, material, or platform requires full requalification - a process that can take months and cost millions of dollars.
The new model assumes that when processes are software-defined and based on physical data (simulations, sensors, process logs), it’s possible to perform delta qualification - a differential qualification. Instead of testing everything from scratch, the system analyzes only what changed from the previous process and automatically validates the impact.
This is a massive shift, enabling true cross-platform standardization (across EOS, Velo3D, Renishaw, Trumpf, Nikon SLM, etc.) — something previously nearly impossible.
Ursa Major demonstrated how machine data (e.g., from EOS) can be streamed into analytical environments (e.g., Palantir) and compared with simulation outcomes. This creates a data loop - a system in which every produced part automatically verifies the correctness of the process.
This isn’t yet “AI in manufacturing” in the marketing sense, but it’s the first real step toward AM systems that learn from their own production data.
Pomorski presented the first working model of AM scaling through programmable software - not just promises of “future automation.”
Software is the revolution we were promised…
But software as the main factor in modern AM extends far beyond industrial metal printing. This is also the foundation of desktop 3D printing.
At the Global AM Hubs Summit in Barcelona, Spain, in September, Cedric Mallet, CEO of Bambu Lab Europe, stated it plainly during one of the panels: Bambu Lab is, above all, a software company.
Today, software determines the success of additive technologies. The race for the best - and cheapest — hardware is both decided as it is secondary.
Hardware matters - but software is the competitive advantage.
A 3D printer manufacturer without a serious software strategy is doomed to drift toward irrelevance.
#7. AmeraLabs launched durable flexible 3D printing resin
Lithuania’s AmeraLabs has released FLX-300, its first flexible elastomer resin for 3D printing. Unlike many flexible resins that stiffen over time, FLX-300 maintains its elasticity and hardness long-term, with no degradation observed after three months in tests. This ensures reliability for real engineering applications, not just prototypes. The resin is compatible with standard LCD/DLP printers and is available now via AmeraLabs’ online store and distributors.
READ MORE: www.voxelmatters.com
#6. Xometry launched mobile app for manufacturing partners
Xometry has released its Workcenter Mobile App. This new tool allows suppliers in its partner network to manage job offers, production workflows, and monitor shop performance directly from their smartphones. The app provides seamless, on-the-go access to Xometry’s extensive job board and platform features, enabling partners to boost productivity and minimize downtime.
READ MORE: www.voxelmatters.com
#5. Bambu Lab launched Trust Center
Bambu Lab has launched a “Trust Center” to provide full transparency on data security and privacy. The platform features independent certifications like ISO/IEC 27001 and a detailed Security White Paper. It outlines robust protections across its devices, software, and cloud infrastructure, including encrypted data transfer and secure boot processes. The company now offers users more control with features like a LAN-Only Mode and has initiated a public bug bounty program, positioning its security practices as an industry benchmark.
READ MORE: www.3dprintingjournal.com
#4. EOS expanded material portfolio with four new metal powders
EOS has launched four new metal powders for its LPBF systems. The materials include EOS FeNi36, offering exceptional thermal stability for aerospace, and EOS NickelAlloy C22, known for high corrosion resistance in chemical processing. EOS Steel 42CrMo4 provides high strength for automotive components, while the cost-effective StainlessSteel 316L-4404 is a versatile industrial-grade option.
READ MORE: www.voxelmatters.com
#3. Vulcan launched affordable MX Series metal 3D printers
Vulcan has introduced its new MX Series of laser powder bed fusion metal 3D printers, with prices starting at $39,000. The eight-model lineup aims to make the technology accessible, ranging from the compact MC100 to the large-format MX800 with an 800x600x900 mm build volume. These systems integrate high-power lasers, support materials like titanium and aluminum, and promise dense parts with smooth surfaces. Features include multi-laser configurations and automated calibration, targeting dental, aerospace, and automotive applications for regular, large-scale production.
READ MORE: www.tctmagazine.com
#2. Xact Metal reported strong order growth in 2025
US-based Xact Metal has announced sustained growth, with orders increasing over 30% year-over-year in both the second and third quarters of 2025. The company attributes this success to its strategy of targeting specific industries like defense and plastic injection molding. A key focus is making metal powder-bed fusion technology accessible to small and medium-sized businesses.
READ MORE: www.voxelmatters.com
#1. Bambu Lab honored in TIME’s Best Inventions of 2025
TIME magazine has named two Bambu Lab products to its “Best Inventions of 2025” list. The H2D 3D printer won in the “Manufacturing & Materials” category, recognized for its high speed, precision, and industrial-grade capabilities in a compact desktop format. The CyberBrick system was honored in “Toys & Play” as a modular construction kit that merges 3D printing with digital design.
READ MORE: www.time.com