Greg Paulsen, the Director of Applications Engineering at Xometry (xometry.com), discusses on-demand manufacturing services, materials, trends, and 3D printing processes. Podcast Points: How is 3D printing changing the way we manufacture products? Current trends in manufacturing Can 3D printing utilize all kinds of materials, or just plastics and metals? As the leader of the Applications Engineering team, Paulsen handles special projects pertaining to material selection, design-for-manufacturing, and technical engineering resources as well. The team at Xometry is heavily involved in pushing technology, communication, and integration, and helping clients to improve their manufacturing supply line.  Paulsen provides an overview of Xometry, and how they help to make manufacturing easier. Xometry has been innovating in the space for years, and has assisted the established manufacturing industry through the introduction of AI (artificial intelligence) and machine learning, just to name a few of the areas they excel in. Paulsen talks about 3D printing technologies in detail. From metals to plastics to composites, the world of 3D printing is expanding and has evolved many times since its introduction in the mid 80s. He discusses the goals of Xometry and their approach to additive technologies, and the maturity of the tech innovations.  Paulsen explains molds used in traditional manufacturing versus what new technologies such as 3D printing can do to eliminate a lot of set up work and costs. It’s an accessible technology that can be distributed to localized manufacturing sources, which improves efficiency. Continuing, Paulsen discusses materials in detail, and the processes and post-processes in parts and products manufacturing. He talks about resin-based printers and the finishes that they can deliver versus how robust they are in terms of structure and engineering.  The manufacturing efficiency expert continues his discussion by discussing software options in the 3D printing and manufacturing arena, the evolution of the industry, and what’s on the horizon.