Vanesa Listek

Just days after researchers at the California Institute of Technology unveiled a 3D printed design for lithium-ion batteries, another university team has announced a different battery breakthrough using additive manufacturing (AM). This time, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) developed a 3D printed hybrid zinc-ion battery that can store more than seven times as much energy as similar devices.

Massachusetts is making a major bet on industrial 3D printing. As part of a new $52 million package of state tax credits to support business expansion, the Massachusetts Economic Assistance Coordinating Council awarded more than $21.2 million to metal additive manufacturing (AM) company VulcanForms. The incentives will support the company’s plans to build a manufacturing facility of up to one million square feet in Devens, Massachusetts, where it expects to create 1,063 new jobs.

Jaden Smith may have just brought 3D printed footwear into one of fashion’s most famous red-soled shoes. It all started during Paris Fashion Week, where Christian Louboutin presented its Men’s Spring/Summer 2027 collection on June 24, led by Smith, who was named the house’s first men’s creative director in 2025. Instead of a traditional runway, guests walked into a vivid red terrain. Massive prehistoric stone-like formations, much like a modern Stonehenge, took over the venue.