MT Magazine March/April 2026

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MANUFACTURING MATTERS

MARCH/APRIL 2026

Manufacturing Matters Check in for the highlights, headlines, and hijinks that matter to manufacturing. These lean news items keep you updated on the latest developments.

TECHNOLOGY Additive Makes Markets

Additive manufacturing doesn’t just improve how we make things – it changes what we can make and who can make it. By removing tooling constraints, lowering startup costs, and enabling rapid design iteration, additive opens the door to products, business models, and markets that didn’t exist before. It empowers manufacturers to serve ultra-low-volume, high-complexity, or customized niches that traditional methods can’t reach profitably. Whether it’s aerospace, medical, or industrial MRO, additive turns capability into opportunity. For forward-looking shops, it’s not just a tool – it’s a ticket to new markets.

INTERNATIONAL 3D Printing as a Solution to Global Supply Chain Disruptions

Additive manufacturing has emerged as a powerful solution to global supply chain disruptions. Traditional manufacturing relies heavily on centralized production and international shipping, making it vulnerable to delays caused by pandemics, geopolitical conflicts, natural disasters, and port congestion. In contrast, 3D printing enables decentralized production, allowing companies to manufacture parts closer to the point of need. Instead of waiting weeks for overseas shipments, businesses can produce components on demand using digital design files. This reduces transportation costs, shortens lead times, and lowers the need for large inventories. As global markets and international trade continue to face uncertainty, AM provides flexibility and resilience. By shifting from physical supply chains to digital ones, companies can respond faster to market demands while reducing risk and dependency on distant manufacturers.

SMARTFORCE Shape the Future, Layer by Layer

The Smartforce Career Pathways program at IMTS helps you grow your workforce pipeline with precision. Just like additive manufacturing, it starts with a solid base: your entry-level jobs, internships, or apprenticeships. Then we help you build visibility layer by layer by placing your opportunities on digital displays at the Student Summit in front of over 15,000 students and educators, on the Smartforce section of IMTS.com through the end of 2026, and in the Smartforce Newsletter that hits 7,000 inboxes every month. Visit IMTS.com/smartforce/careerpathways to learn more. In the meantime, grow your network and social capital with AMT Meetups, coming this spring to Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. With our partners at the National Tooling and Machining Association and Women in Manufacturing, these regional events connect professionals from across verticals in a casual, high-impact, and fun setting. Registration opens soon at AMTonline.org/events.