Inside the Furnace

The Sound of Silence

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2262703/fan_mail/new] This episode of AM Insider features guest Zeke Sudbury, an additive sales specialist at Atlix, who discusses his professional transition from the world of polymers and composites to metal additive manufacturing (AM). Hosted by Justin Hopkins and Dustin Kloempken, the conversation explores the technical and cultural differences between these two realms, noting that polymer expertise focuses on material science and polymer chains, while metal AM is more akin to welding engineering. The central theme of the episode is the identification of "boring" but highly profitable applications that drive industry growth. Sudbury argues that while industries like aerospace and medical have long qualification cycles that can slow down progress, the firearm suppressor industry has effectively "saved" metal additive by providing a high-demand application with lower barriers to entry. Key topics covered in the episode include: * The Suppressor Case Study: A deep dive into why suppressors are ideal for metal AM. Sudbury explains the thermodynamics behind their design, noting that additive allows for complex internal geometries and "baffles" that increase volume and decrease temperature to reduce external pressure. He also highlights how surface roughness, often viewed as a defect, is actually beneficial for suppressors as it adds turbulence and improves performance. * Industry Trends and Market Shifts: The discussion covers the recent surge in suppressor demand due to changes in government fees in early 2026 and the adoption of these components by the U.S. Army for hearing protection and toxic gas reduction. * The Role of AI and Software: How AI and cloud-based software (such as OAM for dental) are lowering the barrier to entry for new users by automating complex tasks like part orientation, support generation, and failure prediction. * Future Frontiers: Looking beyond suppressors, Sudbury identifies dental, semiconductors (pure nickel printing), and heat exchangers as the next major growth areas for the industry. * Advice for Professionals: Sudbury emphasizes the importance of networking and "being a sponge" when entering the field. He recommends the Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium in Austin, Texas, as a premier resource for anyone looking to understand the cutting-edge academic research driving the industry forward. The episode concludes by emphasizing the importance of the feedback loop between academia, engineering, and sales to solve increasingly complex manufacturing problems.

AM Market Trends

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2262703/fan_mail/new] In this episode of AM Insider, we sit down with Christian Seidel, professor of additive manufacturing and consultant at Wohlers Associates (powered by ASTM International), to explore where the additive manufacturing industry is headed in 2026 and beyond. Christian shares insider insights on AM market growth trends, why the industry continues to grow at ~10% annually, and how AI is transforming metal 3D printing, process optimization, beam shaping, and quality assurance. We also discuss the critical role of standards in scaling additive manufacturing, including why ISO and ASTM standards matter for production, defense, aerospace, and regulated industries. Key topics include: * The real state of the additive manufacturing market in 2026 * Why Powder Bed Fusion still dominates metal AM—and where DED is gaining ground * How AI is being applied inside AM processes, not just data analysis * Defense vs. non‑defense AM growth and market hype * What skills the next generation of AM professionals must develop * Why process chains, production readiness, and standards will define the next phase of AM adoption

Additive Meets Medicine

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2262703/fan_mail/new] Medical 3D printing is one of the most promising—and misunderstood—areas of additive manufacturing. In this episode of AM Insider, we’re joined by Ben Klein, a biomedical engineer and former leader in medical additive manufacturing, to unpack what’s actually working in healthcare and why adoption takes longer than most expect. Ben shares firsthand insight from building early medical 3D printing programs, including patient‑specific anatomical models, surgical guides, and tissue‑like training models used by surgeons and device manufacturers. We explore why hype-driven use cases often fail, how real clinical adoption happens, and what it takes for additive manufacturing to become part of the standard of care. The conversation dives deep into workflow challenges, surgeon adoption, reimbursement realities, and how AI-driven automation could unlock the next phase of scalable medical 3D printing. Ben also offers practical advice for engineers, startups, and hospitals looking to enter the medical space—and what not to do if you want long-term success. In this episode, we cover: * Why medical 3D printing adoption moves slower than other industries * Anatomical models vs. patient‑specific surgical guides * How surgeons actually decide whether to use 3D printed tools * Workflow and segmentation as the real bottleneck * The role of AI in automating medical design workflows * Reimbursement, regulation, and the path to standard of care * Where medical additive manufacturing is headed in the next 5–10 years Whether you’re working in additive manufacturing, medical devices, healthcare innovation, or exploring how 3D printing fits into regulated industries, this episode offers a grounded, experience‑driven look at what it really takes to succeed.

Inside the Furnace

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2262703/fan_mail/new] In this episode of the AM Insider podcast, hosts Justin Hopkins and Dustin Kloempken sit down with Stefan Joens, a second-generation business owner of Elnik Systems. The conversation explores the critical but often misunderstood role of thermal processing in metal additive manufacturing, particularly for binder jetting and other sinter-based technologies. Key Discussion Points * Redefining Sintering: Stefan argues that sintering should be viewed as an in-process step rather than "post-processing" because a metal part is not truly complete until it has undergone this thermal cycle. * The Science of the Furnace: The episode explains how furnaces vaporize polymer binders at low temperatures before heating metal particles just below their melting point to fuse them together. This process involves a significant shrinkage of 10% to 20%. * Batch vs. Continuous Furnaces: For companies deciding on equipment, Stefan notes that batch furnaces offer high flexibility for various alloys and runs under 200,000 parts, while continuous furnaces are the "unbeatable" choice for high-volume, consistent production. * The "Glass Box" Approach: Stefan shares his mission to turn the "black box" of furnace technology into a "glass box," focusing on educating users so they understand the metallurgy and physics happening inside the chamber. * Industry Evolution: The group discusses moving past the initial industry "hype" toward a more mature phase focused on alloy development—such as titanium, copper, and Inconel—and actual production-ready parts. Expert Recommendations Stefan strongly advises that before making a major capital investment, companies should benchmark their parts. He encourages sending full loads of printed parts to experts, such as his sister company DSH Technologies, to prove the process works before buying a furnace. He also recommends resources like the Metal Injection Molding Association (MIMA) and the Formnext and Rapid + TCT trade shows for continued learning.

"Longtimer" (The Everett Files)

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2262703/fan_mail/new] This episode of the AM Insider podcast is hosted by Justin Hopkins and Dustin Kloempken. It is part of a miniseries focused on the beginnings of additive manufacturing (AM), aiming to share experiences from industry veterans. The guest is Darin Everett, who is referred to as an industry "longtimer". He joined Stratasys in 1999 when the company was relatively small, starting at $28.5 million. Darin agreed with the common observation that the industry’s start-up era was "darn fun" and dynamic. Career and Focus at Stratasys * Darin studied mechanical engineering but transitioned into sales to better communicate with his typical customers (mechanical engineers). Before joining Stratasys, he worked in demanding traditional manufacturing environments like oil refineries, requiring him to wear fire retardant clothing and steel-toe boots daily. * His passion and specialty during his 16 years at Stratasys was manufacturing, production, and tooling. * He began in direct sales of large frame systems ("big boxes"). In January 2009, he moved to the first segment team (starting with aerospace) to develop applications such as composite layout tools, jigs, fixtures, and drill guides. After the Objet merger in late 2012, he helped resellers worldwide sell these manufacturing applications through channel management. * After a sabbatical (2017 to 2020), he returned to work in St. Louis, motivated to be part of the push to bring manufacturing back to the US. He currently focuses on the metal side of AM, specifically refractory metals using electron beam powder bed fusion. Selling and Production Challenges * Selling "Black Magic": In the early 2000s, selling AM felt like selling "black magic" as engineers were highly skeptical. * Focus on Solutions: Darin stressed that the industry sells solutions, not machines, and the only relevant output is the part. Sales must address the customer's pain or the losses they are preventing. * High Stakes: Production cannot stop, as a shutdown in high-requirement environments (like a refinery) can cost $1 million to $3 million a day. High-requirement applications must justify the entire system cost (machine, people, floor space) with a one-to-two-year ROI. * Certification Hurdles: Material qualification and certification are lengthy and expensive. The effort to fly the first 3D-printed part stalled for over five years due to the multi-million dollar cost of obtaining burn data and allowables. Currently, a hurdle for newer processes, such as electron beam powder bed fusion of tungsten, is that there is no US-certified lab that has a standardized process to prepare and test the required specimens. Future Outlook and Advice * Future Outlook: Darin believes AM has a great future but anticipates an overdue "squeeze" on the number of OEMs. He expects growth tied to critical items returning to US manufacturing, especially in defense, energy, and nuclear fusion. * Key Advice: The second sale (the repeat sale) is the true test of a company, the machine, and the relationship, as it requires proving oneself after the initial battle. * Recommended Resources: Darin advised watching "How Things Are Made" to understand traditional manufacturing (casting, forging, molding), reading the Wohlers Report annually, and attending AMUG for real feedback. He also recommended resources on sales and marketing, including Chris Harris’s book Phase Selling.