The Trump effect is hitting the USA AM industry, but Europe's attention is - as always - elsewhere...
The Atomic Layers: S6E27 (00174)
Atomic Layer of the Day:
Just two weeks ago, I discussed how Velo3D began positioning itself as the ultimate, patriotic manufacturer of metal 3D printers—only to follow up the next day with the grand opening of Nikon SLM Solutions' new factory. Despite being a Japanese-German enterprise, the event attracted numerous prominent American guests.
Today, something entirely different happened. On 3DPrint.com, James DeMuth, co-founder and CEO of Seurat Technologies, published an open letter addressed to the newly reinstated U.S. president.
In it, he calls for action to protect American 3D printing from those pesky Chinese competitors.
DeMuth urged the new administration to take measures to "secure American leadership in the Additive Manufacturing sector." He highlighted that the U.S., as the birthplace of the technology, risks losing its position to China, which is rapidly advancing thanks to significant government support. According to DeMuth, failing to act could result in a scenario similar to the U.S. solar panel industry's collapse.
Tariffs, he argued, aren’t enough. The government needs to do more.
DeMuth proposed several solutions:
Establishing a National AM Implementation Task Force to promote the technology within government and industrial sectors.
Introducing tax incentives for companies investing in 3D printing development and applications.
Increasing funding for advanced AM research.
Simplifying procurement and qualification processes for AM-produced parts.
Creating educational programs and scholarships to train a skilled workforce.
DeMuth warned that inaction would lead to job losses in the U.S., weakened competitiveness in both defense and commercial sectors, and growing dependency on Chinese supply chains. To counter this, he recommended refining tariff policies to better protect the U.S. industry.
Honestly, he makes a valid point. There's a strong likelihood that Trump or his administration might act on this at some stage. After all, one of his advisors is Elon Musk, who’s a big fan of 3D printing and a major user of Velo3D machines at SpaceX.
So, whether or not DeMuth’s letter reaches the right eyes in government, it’s reasonable to assume that the U.S. market will find some way to safeguard itself.
And what about Europe?
Oh, that one was and will remain knee deep in shit.
Unlike the U.S. and China, which have coordinated strategies to support AM, Europe lacks a unified approach. While the European Union has identified AM as a key industrial development area, concrete actions are fragmented and depend on individual member states' policies.
Take Poland, for example—there, supporting AM translates to buying cheap, desktop-grade Chinese 3D printers for schools.
Europe does have a few standout leaders in 3D printing, such as EOS (Germany), Nikon SLM Solutions (Germany), and Materialise (Belgium). However, many European companies focus on niche markets, limiting their global reach. For these firms, breaking out of their home countries and even accessing broader EU markets is a challenge—let alone conquering the U.S. or Asia.
Meanwhile, climate policies that stifle industries of all kinds are also impacting AM companies—if not directly, then indirectly. Potential customers, instead of investing in new 3D printers, are scrambling to cover soaring energy bills.
And let’s not forget the looming threat of Trump’s tariffs. For now, they’re being thrown around chaotically and without much commitment, but the risk is real.
So, while the U.S. has a shot at emerging from its current crisis with a stronger footing under new leadership, the EU, as usual, stands by, slack-jawed and scratching its butt.
Atomic Layer from the Past:
01-27-2014: Markforged introduced the Mark One 3D printer.
News & Gossip:
xTool has launched the F1 Lite, a more affordable version of its F1 laser engraver, priced at $799. Unlike the F1, which includes a 10W diode and 2W infrared laser for metal engraving, the F1 Lite features only the 10W diode laser, suitable for materials like wood, paper, and leather. Both models share the same form factor, 115 x 115 mm working area, and 4,000 mm/s max speed.
Supernova has been awarded a $2M subcontract by ACMI to 3D print military-grade energetic materials using its Viscous Lithography Manufacturing (VLM) technology.
As reported by ALL3DP, Flashforge’s cloud service, Flash Cloud, suffered a cyberattack resulting in the loss of some user data. The company announced the breach on January 20, urging users to re-register accounts and rebind devices. Flashforge has not disclosed the full scope of the data loss or whether user information was compromised. The incident follows recent debates over cloud security in 3D printing, including Bambu Lab’s controversial changes to firmware.
I've always believed in Europe's mantra : if you can't beat Chinese mass production, build that AAA boutique product and service. 3D printing affords not only this, but an entry point for the little guy on the street, to bring a level of ingeniuity never seen before. This is how we level up.