By Melissa Donovan
Part 1 of 2
There are a many options when it comes to choosing a three-dimensional (3D) printer for manufacturing parts/tools used in aerospace, rail, or automotive. The April issue of Industrial Print magazine takes a look at this sector and how it is steadily growing its use of additive manufacturing (AM) from prototyping to end use production.
Various printers are well suited for this work and we include a selection here.
For powder-based applications, AltForm, formerly Prima Additive by Sodick, offers the Print 300 and Print 400 Series, its latest generation of laser powder bed fusion systems. These platforms are engineered with automation at their core, featuring modular build chambers, automated powder handling, and seamless integration into digital production environments. In transportation applications, these systems are used for the automated production of complex metal components such as heat exchangers, structural parts, and functional assemblies. For directed energy deposition and laser-based repair, AltForm offers the ZENIT robotic cell, a flexible multi-process platform. ZENIT is applied for the repair and refurbishment of high-value tooling, such as large molds and dies used in automotive manufacturing, as well as for coating and functional surface enhancement of structural components. Building on this experience, AltForm developed the RC Series, a family of robotic cells derived from the ZENIT platform and specifically engineered for high-speed laser cladding and rapid coating applications. These solutions were originally developed for brake disc coating.
Almost all BigRep 3D printers are found in the transportation field—the right machine largely depends on the application. For example, an organization looking to use AM for replacing metal parts would turn toward the IPSO 105 or ALTRA 280 printers. These machines can extrude 3D printing polymers such as polycarbonate, PEI 9085, or PEKK-CF, a variant of the PEKK polymer with chopped carbon fiber embedded in the material making it stronger and more rigid. For custom tooling or full-scale parts, an organization may choose the BigRep ONE or the BigRep VIIO 250.
EOS and sister organization AMCM provide several systems ideal for this space. Of note is the EOS M4 ONYX, a high‑productivity metal AM system well suited for scalable production of large, complex transportation components such as brackets, housings, and thermal structures. The AMCM M8K is a high‑temperature, large format copper/titanium printer used for extreme thermal components. For polymer systems the EOS P 396, EOS P 500, EOS P 810, and EOS TPU platforms are available. All of these machines are widely deployed in automotive OEMs, aviation Tier 1s, rail operators, and advanced EV startups.
3D metal printing with wire arc AM (WAAM) supports an increasing number of applications. GEFERTEC expands the range of available machines with its new arc80X series. This latest generation of machines is in response to customer demand for the ability to produce larger parts with WAAM. In the three-axis version, the new production system has an assembly space of 2x2x2 meters and can produce parts with a total mass of up to eight tons. The five-axis version prints parts with a diameter of up to 0.9 meters and a height of up to 1.4 meters. In addition to the larger assembly space, this new generation of machines offers many other advantages. These include a higher degree of automation to improve production efficiency and reduce personnel requirements. Automated functions include integrated tool measurement, gas nozzle cleaning, wire cutting, and replacement of wear parts.
Lithoz’s lithography-based ceramic manufacturing (LCM) CeraFab System printers are optimized for the production of ultra-precise ceramic components with superior geometry and mechanical properties, as well scalability, traceability, and industrial series production. Both the LCM CeraFab System S65 and the CeraFab System S320 are already used in industrial context of transportation industry. With a lateral resolution of 40 μm and the ability to print up to 150 layers per hour, the CeraFab System S65 serves for intricate parts, often used for cooling devices made from ceramics with exceptional thermal properties, above all in hydrogen-powered air and ground vehicles, but also for the advanced thermal management of compact high-performance processing units posing potential safety risks in terms of overheating. With a five-fold larger build volume of 246x130x320 millimeters, the CeraFab System S320 is ideal for the efficient series production of mid-sized ceramic components at high-capacity output.
MELD Manufacturing Corporation’s 3D printing capabilities are uniquely suited to providing shortened lead times primarily in aerospace transportation, where material performance and forging-level quality are critical. The MELD technology is beneficial because of the scale; most 3D printing technologies are limited to small, complex parts with very specific strength orientations, whereas MELD technology has a minimum deposition of 1.5 inches across, and the material’s strength is nearly uniform in every direction. This allows for flexibility to make parts for a variety of applications. MELD also provides the perfect application to print corrosion-resistant materials that are traditionally un-weldable, like magnesium.
Mimaki USA, Inc. 3DUJ series full-color 3D printers, including the 3DUJ-553, are widely used in transportation-related applications where visual accuracy, color fidelity, and surface quality are critical. Use cases include interior design validation, control panel mockups, marketing and customer-facing models, and concept validation for color, material, finish decisions. The 3DUJ platform can produce over ten million colors, including clear and white, enabling highly realistic representations of final products that traditional prototyping methods cannot achieve.
NIDEC Machine Tool America large format 2000 and 5000 series machines are utilized in the automotive sector. LAMDA systems are commonly used for tool and die repair in body panel production. These systems do not require a vacuum chamber and instead operate with a shielding gas setup. Their direct energy deposition processes uses considerably less material than many other AM and traditional methods, making them well suited for large tooling repairs and industrial components.
nScrypt Inc. develops advanced 3D printing systems specifically designed for multi-material, high-precision 3D printed electronics. The platforms combine precision micro-dispensing, pick-and-place, and machining capabilities to manufacture fully functional electronic devices directly onto 2D and 3D surfaces. nScrypt works closely with aerospace and automotive companies to support the development and production of next-generation electronic systems for transportation platforms. The company maintains partnerships with Boeing and other aerospace and automotive organizations, enabling collaboration on advanced manufacturing solutions for mission-critical applications.
Prodways Printers CERAM PRO 3D printers’ range is based on its proprietary MOVINGLight digital light processing (DLP) technology, a patented DLP approach designed for high-precision ceramic printing. The eco-system includes the CERAM PRO range but also TETHON 3D material, with certified ceramic slurries for CERAM PRO, offering a complete solution from R&D to production. Key advantages include high resolution for complex geometries and fine features, exceptional repeatability for consistent production of multiple parts, flexibility for both research and development and scalable manufacturing, and rapid iteration of designs without expensive tooling. This integrated approach enables aerospace and transportation manufacturers to shorten development cycles, maintain tight tolerances, and move seamlessly from prototype to low- to medium-volume production.
Rapid Shape develops high‑speed DLP resin printers well suited for industrial markets including aerospace, automotive, rail, bus and truck, composites and tooling, e‑mobility, and the broader plastic processing industry. The D50+, D90+, and D100+ systems offer open material platforms, high 4K resolution, and automatic separation modules, making them suitable for technical parts, functional prototypes, and production tooling in demanding industrial and transportation environments. With Force Feedback Technology for optimized high‑speed printing, and scalable, partially, or fully automated workflows, these systems support 24/7 operation and high throughput for production‑grade parts.
Apr2026, Industrial Print Magazine
