{"id":43655,"date":"2026-03-05T03:22:45","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T08:22:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/?p=43655"},"modified":"2026-03-27T08:44:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T12:44:00","slug":"march-recap-events-material-innovation-whats-next-in-additive-manufacturing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/march-recap-events-material-innovation-whats-next-in-additive-manufacturing","title":{"rendered":"February Recap: Events, Material Innovation &amp; What\u2019s Next in Additive Manufacturing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Additive manufacturing recap for this month, we focused on one central theme: smarter manufacturing starts with smarter decisions; in materials, production strategy, and supply chain design. If you missed any updates, here\u2019s a quick recap of what\u2019s shaping the conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-connecting-at-intertraffic-amsterdam-2026\"><strong>Connecting at Intertraffic Amsterdam 2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re excited to share that Shapeways will be attending Intertraffic Amsterdam. The event is a key gathering for mobility and infrastructure innovators, and we\u2019re looking forward to connecting with teams exploring how additive manufacturing can unlock faster iteration, lightweight design, and more resilient production models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re attending, we invite you to schedule a <a href=\"https:\/\/145119852.hs-sites-eu1.com\/shapeways-at-intertraffic-2026\">one-on-one meeting <\/a>with our team to discuss materials, production approaches, and how digital manufacturing can support your next project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-thangs-print-store-learn-how-to-launch-amp-grow\"><strong>Thangs Print Store: Learn How to Launch &amp; Grow<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re also hosting a live session to help designers and entrepreneurs set up and scale on the <a href=\"https:\/\/thangs.com\/prints\">Thangs<\/a>&nbsp; Print Store. Whether you\u2019re new to selling 3D models or looking to optimize your existing shop, this session walks through best practices for preparing files, choosing materials, and expanding your reach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you can\u2019t attend live, be sure to <a href=\"https:\/\/forms.gle\/qnUUW9YJ6gGkiFEF7\">RSVP<\/a> to receive the recording.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-materials-strategy-is-now-a-competitive-advantage\"><strong>Why Materials Strategy Is Now a Competitive Advantage<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the biggest shifts we\u2019re seeing in manufacturing is the growing importance of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/materials-strategy-manufacturing-advantage\">early material decisions. <\/a>Materials are no longer a late-stage technical choice, they directly influence speed to market, production flexibility, lifecycle performance, and supply chain resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additive manufacturing recap for this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7434228763049033728\/?actorCompanyId=214648\">month\u2019s blog content <\/a>explored:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How materials strategy shapes manufacturing advantage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The performance differences between Nylon PA12 and Nylon 11 (PA11)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When to choose one over the other for strength, durability, or sustainability goals<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Understanding these distinctions is becoming critical as additive manufacturing moves from prototyping into end-use production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-building-manufacturing-resilience-by-design\"><strong>Building Manufacturing Resilience by Design<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Resilience doesn\u2019t happen by accident. We also examined how manufacturers can design supply chains that are adaptable, distributed, and capable of multi-path production. Digital workflows and additive technologies are enabling new models that reduce risk while increasing responsiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For industries like drone development, where lightweight components, rapid iteration, and scalable production are essential. Smarter manufacturing strategies are directly accelerating innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-expanding-print-on-demand-capabilities\"><strong>Expanding Print-on-Demand Capabilities<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>On the Thangs platform, we introduced a new high-detail gray resin designed for intricate models, tabletop figurines, jewelry prototypes, and other precision applications. This addition expands the range of premium materials available to designers selling physical prints on demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also highlighted designer Chuck Stover of <a href=\"https:\/\/thangs.com\/designer\/Made%20by%20Wombat\/3d-models?utm_source=shapeways&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=designer\">Made by Wombat <\/a>, whose journey from early 3D printing pioneer to successful digital and physical seller demonstrates the power of combining design expertise with scalable production tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-moving-forward\"><strong>Moving Forward<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The future of manufacturing isn\u2019t defined by a single breakthrough. It\u2019s shaped by strategic material choices, resilient systems, and digital production models working together.If you haven\u2019t explored this month\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/\">full articles<\/a> and announcements, now\u2019s the time. Dive deeper into the blogs, register for upcoming events, and see how additive manufacturing can support your next stage of growth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover additive manufacturing trends, PA11 vs PA12 comparisons, supply chain resilience strategies, and Thangs Print Store updates.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":211,"featured_media":43698,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[510],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-3d-printing-industry"],"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/For-blog-page-6.png","yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.9 (Yoast SEO v23.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>February Additive Manufacturing Recap<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover this month&#039;s recap, PA11 vs PA12 comparisons, supply chain resilience strategies, and Thangs Print Store updates.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/march-recap-events-material-innovation-whats-next-in-additive-manufacturing\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Tini Linders\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/march-recap-events-material-innovation-whats-next-in-additive-manufacturing#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/march-recap-events-material-innovation-whats-next-in-additive-manufacturing\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Tini Linders\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/prodshapeblog.wpenginepowered.com\/#\/schema\/person\/b50a302ac118072f6294ea4d26b33009\"},\"headline\":\"February Recap: Events, Material Innovation &amp; 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