Change is Additive—Week of 4/29/16
CHANGE IS ADDITIVE—A 3D Printing News Series by Fathom
World’s Largest Airline Engine, Olympics Sprinters 3D Printed Shoes, Manufacturing and 3D Printing, 3D Printed Aerogels and Foams, NASA Aerosol Jet Printing Electronics, 3D Printed Fixtures Alter Functionality of Everyday Objects
With so many weekly developments in a fast-changing industry like additive manufacturing, the headlines can really stack up. To cut through the clutter of 3D printing news, check out these staff picks of the week. What do you think is the most impactful development of the week?


GE Creates the Worlds Largest Jet Engine with 3D Printed Parts
General Electric began testing the largest jet engine ever created, the GE9X, which was built with a number of 3D printed parts. The engine is more efficient, more powerful and more heat resistant than its predecessors, thanks in part to lightweight advanced materials. The engine was designed for the Boeing 777X, which will be the worlds largest twin-engine jetliner when it debuts in 2017 / / Read More // Watch Video

US Sprint Champion to Wear 3D Printed Shoes for Rio Olympics
US Olympian and Gold Medalist Sprinter Allyson Felix will be wearing ultra-lightweight 3D printed Flyknit racing spikes in the 2016 Summer Olympics. A collaboration between Nikes design and engineering teams, the Nike Zoom Superfly Flyknit integrates a spike plate created with SLS technology / / Read More // Watch Video


PwC Finds 71% of Manufacturers Already Integrating 3D Printing
In creating PwCs recent industry report, 3D Printing comes of age in US industrial manufacturing, researchers highlighted a number of industry trends, including that perception of 3D printing amongst manufacturers has shifted considerably—52% of manufacturers expect 3D printing will be used for high-volume production within five years. Global spending on 3D printing is expected to reach about $27 billion by 2019.

Livermore Lab Creates 3D Printed Aerogels and Foams with Unprecedented Properties
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researchers have created a new type of graphene aerogel that will make for better energy storage, sensors, nanoelectronics, catalysis and separations. In addition to aerogel innovations, Livermore Lab scientists have also recently created foams with improved stability, heat resistance and shock absorption, produced through 3D printing on a microscopic scale // Read More

NASA Experimenting with Aerosol Jet Printing to 3D Print Electronics
NASA has shifted research focus to aerosol jet printing, a form of 3D printing that is well-suited for fabricating high-performance electronic components and could potentially help NASA researchers construct more densely populated electronics // Read More


Japanese Design Studio Creates 3D Printed Fixtures that Alter Functionality of Everyday Items
Japanese design studio Takt Project has created a series of 3D printed fixtures as complementary components that alter the usage and functionality of everyday objects. Designers aimed to break the barrier between customer and manufacturer //Read More
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Imagery and News Sources: 3Ders.org, 3Dprint.com, Quartz, 3DPrintingIndustry, DesignBoom, Forbes, PwC, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, NASA, Nike