Tête-à-Tech: Modern Alchemy: The New Era of 3D Printing

Photos by Nick Starichenko

At our latest Tête-à-Tech gathering, on July 23rd, 2026, Noah Landow, Founder and CEO at Macktez, sat down with Jim Franz, President, Americas at UltiMaker, to discuss how 3D printing is evolving from a hobbyist pastime into a core pillar of global industry.

Here are the key takeaways from their conversation on where the technology stands today, and where it’s heading next.

Shattering the “Toy” Paradigm

For years, desktop 3D printing was dismissed as a novelty for printing plastic trinkets or calibration “benchies.” Jim pointed to 2015 as the watershed moment that changed everything, when the FAA approved GE to put a 3D-printed fuel nozzle inside a commercial jet engine:

That was a eureka moment for the industry because who would ever think a 3D printed part would be approved to be put in an airplane engine? The interesting thing about that part was it was 25% lighter and lasted five times longer than the original part.

The pandemic further proved its utility, as local communities stepped in to print critical medical supplies when global supply chains collapsed.

Materials Stronger Than Metal

Modern additive manufacturing is driven by material science. Engineers are moving beyond basic plastics to composites that can handle extreme heat, harsh chemicals, and heavy stress.

Demonstrating a rigid bracket printed from a carbon-fiber polymer, Jim tapped the part to showcase its surprising density:

Everybody listen, you ready? Sounds like metal, right? It’s as strong as metal... The metal part kept breaking, and so they needed something to print on demand. And by the way, it lasts longer than the metal part, because the metal part wears out too fast.

Defense and Frontline Logistics

In conflict zones like Ukraine, additive manufacturing effectively converts hardware supply chains into rapidly deployable digital files. Ordinary citizens are printing drone components at home and delivering them directly to the front lines. By switching to lighter filaments, engineers on the ground can slash airframe weights by 80%, dramatically boosting flight range in a matter of days.

Distributed Manufacturing

The real value of industrial 3D printing isn’t replacing mass production; it’s distributed manufacturing. Instead of storing costly spare parts in a warehouse, companies are printing jigs, fixtures, and replacements on demand, slashing lead times by 95% and costs by 70%.

Looking forward, Jim highlighted upcoming developments like “programmable materials” that report structural fatigue before failure, custom medical implants printed directly in hospitals, and tailored components for humanoid robotics.