Following Your Passion in 3D Printing with Greg Paulsen
Greg Paulsen, Director of Application Engineering at Xometry, explains that 3D printing is an umbrella of technologies rather than a single miracle tool, debunking the myths that it can do everything and that it is a monolithic process. He describes prototyping as shifting from the high-cost, low-iteration constraints of analog film to the rapid, low-cost iteration of digital cameras, allowing for faster design validation. Paulsen highlights aerospace as a key industry for metal additive manufacturing due to the ROI from part consolidation and weight reduction, while noting that cosmetics and cost remain barriers for high-volume consumer goods. He concludes that CAD design is the true barrier to entry, as the software capabilities must evolve to fully leverage the freedom of additive manufacturing.