GoEngineer Blog

RAPID isn't just the biggest additive manufacturing event in North America; it's where manufacturers unveil their latest innovations to the world. As exhibitors at the heart of the event, the GoEngineer team spent the week digging into the latest hardware and software advancements poised to deliver immense value to our customers.  

For decades, the standard engineering response to complexity was "break it down." If a component was too intricate to machine or cast, we split it into sub-assemblies. We added fasteners, gaskets, and weldments. We created sprawling Bills of Materials (BOMs) and accepted the "assembly tax", the inevitable accumulation of labor costs, inventory overhead, and potential failure points. In 2026, that math has changed. As metal additive manufacturing (AM) moves from the prototyping lab to mainline production, the most significant ROI isn't found in making parts faster, it’s found in making fewer of them.

Metal 3D printing has streamlined the process, removing the need for tedious, manual brazing. But the very property that makes copper desirable - its high thermal conductivity- adds its own unique challenges, as heat quickly dissipates away from the laser powder bed fusion melt pool, often leading to instability and significant residual stress. BLT (Bright Laser Technologies) addresses these hurdles with its "Full-System Engineering" approach, integrating design, materials, and machinery to produce copper thrust chambers nearly a meter in height.

In 2026, the term “Industrial Clinic” is described as a fundamental shift in healthcare where hospitals and Orthotics & Prosthetics (O&P) facilities move 3D printing from prototyping and fit check to primary production. This transition is powered by HP Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) technology, enabling the on-site fabrication of final-use biocompatible medical devices that meet stringent clinical standards - without the lead times of traditional centralized fabrication. 

By utilizing Markforged additive technology, companies are moving bits, not atoms. Instead of shipping a physical piece of steel across the continent, they are sending a secure digital file to a printer located right on the shop floor or inside a mobile maintenance container. 

Engineering teams tasked with creating new and innovative amusement park rides often face a difficult challenge: how can we make the ride faster, lighter, and safer while minimizing costs and improving sustainability? That’s exactly what Extreme Manufacturing Engineering (EME) set out to achieve through its groundbreaking collaboration with Bright Laser Technologies (BLT). Using additive manufacturing, they were able to design and produce a roller coaster bogie unlike anything ever seen before.

In September 2025, BYD’s Yangwang U9X supercar shattered expectations, setting a world top-speed record for production vehicles at 308.33 mph and clocking a blistering 6:59.157 lap time at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. It’s an incredible feat of electric propulsion, but the unsung hero of this achievement isn’t just the motor; it’s the frame holding it all together. The U9X’s success was built on a foundation of metal additive manufacturing provided by Bright Laser Technologies (BLT), proving that 3D printing is no longer just for prototyping; it is a production-grade powerhouse. 

When people think of 3D printing, they often imagine prototypes and concept parts, not finished components in smartphones, aircraft, and rockets. But Bright Laser Technologies (BLT) has quietly become a manufacturing backbone for some of the world’s most forward-thinking companies, powering everything from aerospace breakthroughs to consumer tech. 

In its infancy, 3D printing was primarily used for prototypes and passion projects. If the end result looked good and held together for a few hours, it passed the test. But times have changed. Engineers now expect printed parts to survive stress, heat, and real-world use. That shift, from hobby to heavy duty, hinges on one factor: better materials.