The ability to accept orders flexibly is what makes Millcraft 3D competitive. To achieve this, the model and mould maker relies on F. Zimmermann. The latest addition to its machine park is an FZU32 gantry milling machine, whose precision goes far beyond the market standard.

Large slurry pump housings are too big to print economically, but their most exposed wear zones can still benefit from additive manufacturing. VBN Components has demonstrated a hybrid casting method that places Vibenite 480 precisely where wear resistance is needed most.

As it embarks on its busiest exhibition programme to date, Carfulan Group will use Southern Manufacturing to showcase a broad portfolio of advanced production and metrology technologies. The highlight is the first public showing of OGP UK’s smart scope M7, alongside live demonstrations spanning additive manufacturing, optical measurement, tool presetting and data-driven production workflows.

India’s tooling industry is moving further into the spotlight. DMI 2026 in Mumbai showed how advanced machining, automation and international collaboration are shaping the sector’s role in the country’s manufacturing ambitions.

By expanding its global manufacturing partnership with Alstom, Replique is strengthening flexible, decentralised parts supply for rail applications worldwide. From series production to legacy spare parts, the collaboration demonstrates how digitally enabled manufacturing can support efficient and reliable rail operations across multiple regions.

Lego’s new Holiday Express Train hides a historic innovation: the first-ever 3D-printed element in a retail Lego set — a tiny blue locomotive that signals a new era in brick design.

From hybrid machine tools to AI-driven robotics and automated post-processing, additive manufacturing is entering a new phase of industrial maturity. A look at current technologies shows how AM is becoming a reliable, scalable element of modern production.

Metal additive manufacturing is moving fast in metalworking, but one issue still blocks wider shop-floor adoption: internal defects that don’t show up until parts fail in service. A team from Kims and the Max Planck Institute has developed an explainable AI model for laser powder bed fusion that evaluates not just how much porosity a part has, but what kind of pores form, where they sit, and how they weaken mechanical performance.

3D-printed, conformally cooled tool inserts significantly reduce cycle times and boost component quality. Speedpart demonstrates how additive and hybrid manufacturing open up new design freedom in toolmaking — from individual inserts to complete mould construction.

One of the UK’s leading providers of additive manufacturing (AM) solutions is targeting a multi-million pound opportunity after introducing new industrial scale, production-grade technology to its offering.