# Additive Manufacturing on the Shop Floor: Hype, Reality, and Where It Actually Works, Ep #37

- Show: [Lights Out](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out)
- Published: 2026-03-27
- Length: 52m
- Episode: 37
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-03-27-additive-manufacturing-on-the-shop-floor-hype-reality-and-where-it-actually-work
- Listen: https://8819970d-2c51-481c-b08a-4d2a806885b2.libsyn.com/additive-manufacturing-on-the-shop-floor-hype-reality-and-where-it-actually-works-ep-37

## Summary

Mark Barfoot, VP of Global Sales at Exact Metal, discusses the practical application of metal additive manufacturing in machine shops, moving beyond hype to real-world use cases like jigs, fixtures, and end-use parts. He explains that while the technology is maturing, success requires designing for additive (DfAM) rather than simply replacing CNC machining, and highlights the importance of facility safety, powder handling, and building internal expertise. Barfoot notes that laser powder bed fusion is becoming more accessible for job shops, with lower-cost machines enabling production runs of thousands of small parts, provided the geometry justifies the cost.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-03-27-additive-manufacturing-on-the-shop-floor-hype-reality-and-where-it-actually-work#t=0) Introduction and Mark Barfoot's Background
- [6:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-03-27-additive-manufacturing-on-the-shop-floor-hype-reality-and-where-it-actually-work#t=385) Additive Hype Cycles and Industry Evolution
- [11:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-03-27-additive-manufacturing-on-the-shop-floor-hype-reality-and-where-it-actually-work#t=683) Real-World Use Cases: Jigs, Fixtures, and Tooling
- [14:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-03-27-additive-manufacturing-on-the-shop-floor-hype-reality-and-where-it-actually-work#t=870) Designing for Additive vs. Replacing Machining
- [16:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-03-27-additive-manufacturing-on-the-shop-floor-hype-reality-and-where-it-actually-work#t=963) Current State of Plastics and Metal AM Technologies
- [19:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-03-27-additive-manufacturing-on-the-shop-floor-hype-reality-and-where-it-actually-work#t=1191) Production Applications and Volume Justification
- [26:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-03-27-additive-manufacturing-on-the-shop-floor-hype-reality-and-where-it-actually-work#t=1570) Facility Requirements and Safety for Metal AM
- [45:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-03-27-additive-manufacturing-on-the-shop-floor-hype-reality-and-where-it-actually-work#t=2731) Training, Education, and Building Expertise
- [49:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-03-27-additive-manufacturing-on-the-shop-floor-hype-reality-and-where-it-actually-work#t=2960) When Additive Makes Sense and Final Advice

## Topics

- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Exact Metal (company)
- Christie Digital Systems (company)
- EWI (company)
- University of Waterloo (other)
- AMO (other)
- Stratasys (company)
- HP (company)
- ProShop ERP (tool)
- Hire MFG Leaders (other)
- EOS (company)
- Renaissance (company)
- NC State (other)
- UT Austin (other)
- ASAM (other)
- RAPID + TCT (other)
- Formnext (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [AM at a Crossroads: Incodema3D Proves What's Possible at Scale](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-07-07-am-at-a-crossroads-incodema3d-proves-whats-possible-at-scale) (Additive Snack)
- [Are You Too Late to Adopt Additive Manufacturing?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2022-01-11-are-you-too-late-to-adopt-additive-manufacturing) (Additive Snack)
- [From Fashion to Metal AM: Scaling Additive Manufacturing into Production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-03-25-from-fashion-to-metal-am-scaling-additive-manufacturing-into-production) (Additive Snack)
- [Evolving the Orthopedic Frontier: A Deep Dive into the History of Medical AM with Charles Hansford](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2023-09-26-evolving-the-orthopedic-frontier-a-deep-dive-into-the-history-of-medical-am-with) (Additive Snack)
- [Scaling Additive Manufacturing — Special IMTS Edition](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2023-01-10-scaling-additive-manufacturing-special-imts-edition) (Additive Snack)

## Citing this page

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