Current news about additive manufacturing/3D printing June 2025

3D-printed cryogenic tank

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESPECTIVE COMPANIES

Spain-based AIMEN Technology Centre successfully used additive manufacturing (AM) to produce a cryogenic tank demonstrator for future applications in storing liquid hydrogen (LH₂) in aircraft. The innovation is part of the OVERLEAF project, a European effort to develop lighter, more efficient systems for clean aviation.

The solution consists of a dual system: an inner tank made of thermoplastic material, responsible for maintaining LH₂ at extreme temperatures, and an outer carbon fiber structure that provides strength and structural safety. AIMEN was responsible for manufacturing the inner tank using high-precision, large-format AM technology.

AIMEN developed a robotic cell equipped with high-performance 3D printers and infrared heating systems to ensure proper adhesion between layers. The process of manufacturing the 1.5m-diameter tank required more than 100 uninterrupted hours of printing and was monitored in real time using thermal cameras. The tank is designed to withstand temperatures less than -250°C.

AIMEN Technology Centre
https://www.aimen.es

OVERLEAF
https://overleaf-project.eu

Nano Dimension acquires Markforged

Nano Dimension, developer of 3D printers for electronics, completed its acquisition of industrial 3D printer manufacturer Markforged. The acquisition offers Nano Dimension advantages in metal and composite manufacturing solutions as well as artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced manufacturing.

Markforged’s metal and composite solutions tightly integrate hardware, cloud-based AI-enhanced software, and materials science. AI enhancements enable precise, consistent replication of designed parts on the production line, and Nano Dimension plans to deploy these capabilities across its digital manufacturing portfolio.

Markforged Chief Financial Officer Assaf Zipori has been appointed as combined company CFO. Markforged has deployed more than 15,000 industrial systems to customers globally, and both companies have strong footholds in the aerospace industry.

Markforged
https://markforged.com

Nano Dimension
https://www.nano-di.com

Continuum Powders recycles nickel scrap into AM powder

Continuum Powders successfully recycled 16,182kg of nickel scrap – nearly one ton per week – from a Siemens Energy facility in the final five months of 2024. The scrap came from Siemens Energy’s facility in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where the company services equipment for power generation, such as gas turbines, steam turbines, and generators.

Using Continuum’s proprietary Greyhound M2P plasma atomization process, they reverted unused engine components into high-quality metal powders tailored to meet stringent industry standards in aerospace and other applications.

The reclaimed superalloy is composed of rare earth minerals, and the next step will be testing the reintegration of the materials into Siemens Energy’s supply chain. The goal is to create powder for additive manufacturing (AM) from the recycled scrap metals.

The Greyhound M2P process minimizes energy consumption, transportation, and material handling and is a cost-effective, environmentally responsible alternative to traditional recycling methods.

Continuum Powders
https://www.continuumpowders.com

Siemens Energy
https://www. siemens-energy.com