In this edition of SLICED, the 3D Printing Industry news digest, we compile the latest developments across the additive manufacturing (AM) sector, including equipment-sharing partnerships, market expansions in Europe and Mexico, and new standards working groups. Today’s edition features reseller appointments, research consortium launches, large-format platform integrations, dental appliance automation, and calls for conference speakers. Read on for updates from AM 4 AM, Meltio, One Click Metal, Axtra3D, Nikon SLM Solutions, Formnext 2025, and more. Emerging partnerships from AM 4 AM, and Meltio Kicking off with partnerships, Luxembourg’s materials R&D firm AM 4 AM has partnered with Stockholm aluminum powder supplier Gränges Powder Metallurgy (GPM), relocating the Swedish supplier’s materials characterization park to AM 4 AM’s facility. Under the agreement, AM 4 AM will operate GPM’s particle size analyzers, thermal testers, and mechanical-testing rigs to accelerate development cycles and strengthen quality control across both companies’ product lines. AM 4 AM Co-founder Maxime Delmée noted that access to GPM’s instrumentation will enable faster iteration and more data-driven decision-making. Highlighting benefits, GPM Managing Director Peter Vikner explained that relocating the equipment to AM 4 AM addressed both firms’ R&D requirements while leveraging AM 4 AM’s operational capabilities. Moving on, Spanish wire-laser metal 3D printer manufacturer Meltio has announced partnerships with Monterrey-based service provider Alar, and academic institution  Tecnológico de Monterrey.With this move, Alar will integrate the award-winning M600 industrial wire-laser 3D printer into its production lines, while the institution has acquired a Meltio M450 for academic training and industry collaboration.  Additionally, the Spanish manufacturer has also announced additive manufacturing integrator Sitres Latam as its official distributor. Meltio’s wire-feed deposition process, which supports stainless steel, titanium, Inconel, and copper, offers mechanical properties on par with conventionally manufactured parts while reducing waste and emissions. “This alliance with Sitres, Alar, and Tecnológico de Monterrey is fundamental to promoting real and functional metal 3D printing solutions in Mexico,” said Alar CEO Andrea Alarcón. Meltio partners with Alar, SITRES, and Tecnológico de Monterrey to expand metal 3D printing capabilities in Mexico. Photo via Meltio. One Click Metal and Axtra3D Appoint New Resellers in Iberia Turning to resellers and distribution, German metal 3D printing systems developer One Click Metal has expanded into Portugal through a collaboration with Lisbon’s industrial additive manufacturing services provider 3D Ever. The agreement gives local businesses direct access to One Click Metal’s cartridge-based powder handling systems and Lab Module for rapid material changes, alongside region-specific training and post-installation support. Founded in 2017, 3D Ever operates a multi-technology showroom—covering covering stereolithography (SLA), selective laser sintering (SLS), fused filament fabrication (FFF), and direct metal laser sintering (DMLS)—and hosts open-house events and technical workshops to integrate 3D printing into customer workflows. “Portugal is a dynamic market for additive manufacturing,” said One Click Metal’s Global Sales Director Martin Heller, “and 3D Ever’s deep industry knowledge makes them the ideal partner.” Meanwhile, Milan-based photopolymer 3D printer innovator Axtra3D has named Spain and Portugal’s Maquinser S.A. as its professional reseller for Hi-Speed SLA systems. Maquinser will showcase the Lumia X1 platform combining Hybrid PhotoSynthesis and TruLayer technologies at three major industry events through June: the International Machine-Tool Fair (EMAF) in Porto, Portugal; the Subcontratación Industrial & Addit3D expo in Bilbao, Spain; and the MindTECH manufacturing technology fair in Porto. “Axtra3D’s Hi-Speed SLA strikes the balance between surface quality, precision, and material flexibility,” said Maquinser CEO Christian Postigo. Andreas Tulaj, SVP Europe Sales at Axtra3D, added that Maquinser’s regional presence ensures localized support, rapid deployment, and customer-specific solutions across automotive, aerospace, energy, and mold-making sectors. Axtra3D appoints Maquinser S.A. as official reseller for Spain and Portugal. Image via Maquinser. 3MF Consortium and Ecosistema GO! Launch AM Research Initiatives On the research corner, the Microsoft-backed standards organization 3MF Consortium has formed a 6-Axis Toolpath Working Group to define open data structures for robotic and multi-axis AM workflows. The effort invites professionals using industrial robots and advanced CNC platforms to develop a 3MF extension that encodes non-planar toolpath data, enabling seamless interoperability across design, toolpath generation, and machine control software. Originally created to surpass STL and OBJ for complex manufacturing data, the 3MF format already supports units, materials, lattices, slice data, and metadata. This new working group will build on modules like the Beam Lattice Extension to integrate multi-axis motion paths, with open-source reference implementations available via the consortium’s GitHub repository. Elsewhere in Europe, Spain’s Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI)-backed Ecosistema GO! Project (coordinated by Leitat with partners Aitiip, Idonial, Aimen, Addimat, HP, and Meltio) has launched to map national AM capabilities and drive industrial adoption. The initiative will publish a structured “map of capabilities” covering infrastructure, specialization areas, and R&D projects, while hosting workshops in automotive, energy, and aerospace to share success stories and define adoption strategies. “Ecosistema GO! aligns capabilities, generates synergies, and accelerates AM’s real incorporation into Spanish industry,” said IAM3DHUB General Secretary David Adrover. Open for new members through December 2025, the consortium aims to serve as Spain’s reference network for additive manufacturing. The 3MF Consortium invites participants to join its newly launched 6-Axis Toolpath Working Group. Image via 3MF Consortium. Dental Production Boosted by DMP Flex 200 Integration at DynaFlex In dental applications, U.S. orthodontic manufacturer DynaFlex has upgraded its digital workflow with the DMP Flex 200 metal 3D printer from 3D Systems, supplied and installed by their official supplier Nota3D. Featuring a 500 W laser and enlarged build platform, the system has increased DynaFlex’s production speeds by up to 80% for small custom components such as fixed appliances and bands. Matt Malabey, DynaFlex’s Director of Operations, noted that integrated software for orientation, nesting, and support generation further streamlines workflow: “Automation tools and improved onboarding allow us to scale smarter and faster.” The Flex 200 supports LaserForm CoCr, Stainless Steel 316 L, and Ti Gr23 alloys, aligning material properties with clinical performance standards. Prusa Research Opens EasyPrint to All Mobile Users Shifting to software, Czech desktop 3D printer maker Prusa Research has launched EasyPrint, a cloud-powered slicer embedded in the official PRUSA mobile app and accessible via Printables.com. It lets users prepare and send G-code directly from smartphones and tablets, automatically detecting compatible printers and applying the correct print profiles. An interactive 3D preview allows models to be moved, rotated, scaled and batch-arranged on virtual beds, while basic settings such as copy count and object size are consolidated into a one-click workflow. EasyPrint began as an invite-only beta used to collect performance metrics and optimize scalability before opening to everyone once preliminary tests proved the service smooth, according to Ondřej Drebota, Prusa’s Head of Country Development Managers & Partnerships Manager. All G-code generation runs in the cloud, enabling even low-powered devices to handle complex workflows, and users can download prepared files for offline printing. Prusa plans to extend EasyPrint compatibility to non-Prusa printers in future updates, broadening its reach across the 3D printing community. Nikon SLM Solutions and DynaFlex Upgrade Metal AM Workflow On 3D platform news, German metal 3D printer manufacturer Nikon SLM Solutions has integrated Freiburg’s automated depowdering specialist Solukon’s SFM-AT1500-S system at its Long Beach, California AM Technology Center. Paired to German manufacturer’s NXG 600E large-format 3D printer, the SPR-Pathfinder-driven unit handles parts up to 1,500 mm tall and 2,100 kg total weight, automating powder removal for industrial-scale metal components. Nikon SLM Solutions’ COO Gerhard Bierleutgeb stressed the importance of closely linking printing and automated depowdering for optimal production flow. Solukon’s CTO Andreas Hartmann added that the SFM-AT1500-S was custom-engineered to meet Nikon’s requirements for high-mass, complex geometries while maintaining a compact installation footprint. Andreas Hartmann, CEO/CTO of Solukon, and Joshua Forster, Production Manager at Nikon SLM Solutions. Photo via Solukon. Formnext 2025 Announces Call for Speakers Looking ahead to events, Germany’s trade-fair organizer Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH has opened its call for speakers for the upcoming Formnext 2025, to be held November 18-21 in Frankfurt. Submissions for the Industry Stage (covering sustainability, AI, standards, and talent) and the Application Stage (focusing on sectors like automotive, aerospace, and medical) remain open through June. Mesago’s Vice President Christoph Stüker explained that the multistage program is central to Formnext’s mission of disseminating AM knowledge and driving new applications. Additionally, Vice President Sascha F. Wenzler noted that the speaking slots offer an ideal platform for experts to share insights, build their profiles, and forge valuable industry connections. Adding to that, materials supplier participation at Formnext Asia Shenzhen 2025 has jumped 68% year-on-year, with booth bookings already at 70% capacity for the 26–28 August event at Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center. The expanded materials segment, now covering advanced polymers, composites and specialised alloys, will feature over 30 exhibitors in metal powders (including Acc Material, JSJW New Material and Tiangong Technology), ceramics (Wuhan 3DCERAM, Nanoe France) and polymers (eSUN, SUNLU).  Louis Leung, Deputy General Manager of Guangzhou Guangya Messe Frankfurt, highlighted China’s rapid ascent as an AM leader, noting that national policy support and investment have fuelled double-digit growth in the domestic materials sector. Fringe activities include the 3D Print Farm Conference on filament supply chains and an expanded Laser & AM Forum, while related events, Formnext Asia Forum Tokyo (25-6 September) and Formnext Frankfurt round out the global network. Exhibitor registrations remain open online. A panel discussion recorded live at the Industry Stage during Formnext 2024. Photo via Formnext/Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH. Take the 3DPI Reader Survey — shape the future of AM reporting in under 5 minutes. Ready to discover who won the 20243D Printing Industry Awards? Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to stay updated with the latest news and insights. Featured image shows a panel discussion recorded live at the Industry Stage during Formnext 2024. Photo via Formnext/Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH. Anyer Tenorio Lara Anyer Tenorio Lara is an emerging tech journalist passionate about uncovering the latest advances in technology and innovation. With a sharp eye for detail and a talent for storytelling, Anyer has quickly made a name for himself in the tech community. Anyer's articles aim to make complex subjects accessible and engaging for a broad audience. In addition to his writing, Anyer enjoys participating in industry events and discussions, eager to learn and share knowledge in the dynamic world of technology.

UK-based engineering equipment supplier Kingsbury and metal additive manufacturing company Additure have been appointed by the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) to supply additive manufacturing technology and expertise as part of the UK’s ongoing efforts to advance fusion energy research. The partnership will support the development of components designed to endure the extreme conditions within fusion reactors, with a focus on innovative materials and design approaches. A key area of focus involves the use of tungsten—layered with materials such as copper—to achieve the necessary durability. To support this work, Kingsbury and Additure will deliver and install a Nikon SLM Solutions SLM 280 2.0 Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) system at UKAEA’s facilities. “We are excited to support the team at the UKAEA as they scale, not just with the SLM 280’s LPBF capability, but with all the key elements of the AM ecosystem to make this a robust manufacturing solution for UKAEA and the UK’s fusion programme,” said Will Priest, Business Development Manager at Additure. The SLM 280 Production Series system. Image via Nikon SLM Solutions. About UKAEA The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) is the United Kingdom’s national fusion energy research organisation. It operates as an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. A key part of its mission involves fostering industrial fusion capability by working with manufacturers and supply chains to introduce and scale the technologies required for commercial fusion energy deployment. “The UKAEA aims to develop the commercialisation of additive manufacturing and support UK industry in the transition into the fusion energy sector. We conduct the complex areas of research and development to the point where it becomes commercially viable, the advice and support of our supply chain is hugely valuable in expediting this process,” said Roy Marshall, Head of Operations for Fabrication, Installation, and Maintenance at UKAEA. JET interior with super imposed plasma. Image via UK Atomic Energy Authority. Additure’s Role and Technology Contribution At the center of this initiative is the SLM 280 2.0, an LPBF system designed for high-performance applications, including the development of refractory metals. The system offers build speeds up to 80% faster than single-laser alternatives and includes integrated safety features such as a powder sieve module and system cooling enhancements. Beyond equipment delivery, Additure is also providing comprehensive technical training to UKAEA’s research, materials, and design teams. This includes detailed guidance on machine setup, build optimization, and specialized functions—such as a heated reduced build volume. “The applications training from Additure will provide our engineers with new ways to design some of the complex structures required by fusion and allow them to do this using some of the most challenging materials to work with. For additive manufacture to contribute to fusion energy, more designers need to think, ‘What process is most suitable for the desired thermal or structural performance?’ And ‘how do I create a design that is best optimised for additive manufacture?’”, said Mr. Marshall. Advancing Laser Beam Shaping 3D Printing  Given its notable advantages for industrial metal 3D printing, beam shaping capabilities are being developed and commercialized by several players in the research and LPBF 3D printing spheres. In 2024, German research organization Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT showcased its new 3D printing beam shaping technology. Working with the Chair of Technology of Optical Systems (TOS) at RWTH Aachen University, the new platform, the Fraunhofer team is developing a test system for investigating complex laser beam profiles.  This platform can create customized beam profiles for laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) 3D printing, enhancing part quality, process stability and productivity, while minimizing material waste.  In 2022, Equispheres and Aconity3D used laser beam-shaping 3D printing to achieve build rates nearly nine times higher than industry norms. Equispheres’ NExP-1 aluminum powder was used with Aconity3D’s AconityMIDI+ LPBF 3D printer to unlock speeds exceeding 430 cm3/hr for a single laser.  The system was modified to employ a PG YLR 3000/1000-AM laser with beam-shaping capabilities. By using a shaped beam over a zoomed Gaussian profile, the team reduced overheating and mitigated spatter formation during high-speed 3D printing.  Take the 3DPIReader Survey — shape the future of AM reporting in under 5 minutes. Who won the 2024 3D Printing Industry Awards? Subscribe to the3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news. You can also follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content. Featured image shows JET interior with super imposed plasma. Image via UK Atomic Energy Authority.

Meta Platforms has decided to delay the public release of its most ambitious artificial intelligence model yet — Llama 4 Behemoth. Initially expected to debut at Meta’s first-ever AI developer conference in April, the model’s launch was pushed to June and is now delayed until fall or possibly even later. Engineers at Meta are grappling with whether Behemoth delivers enough of a leap in performance to justify a public rollout, The Wall Street Journal reported. Internally, the sentiment is split — some feel the improvements over earlier versions are incremental at best. The delay doesn’t just affect Meta’s timeline. It’s a reminder to the entire AI industry that building the most powerful model isn’t just about parameter count—it’s about usefulness, efficiency, and real-world performance. Sanchit Vir Gogia, chief analyst and CEO at Greyhound Research, interprets this not as a standalone setback but as “a reflection of a broader shift: from brute-force scaling to controlled, adaptable AI models.” He said that while Meta has not officially disclosed a reason for the delay, the reported mention of “capacity constraints” points to larger pressures around infrastructure, usability, and practical deployment. What’s inside Llama 4 Behemoth? Behemoth was never intended to be just another model in Meta’s Llama family. It’s intended to be the crown jewel of the Llama 4 series, designed as a “teacher model” for training smaller, more nimble versions like Llama Scout and Maverick. Meta had previously touted it as “one of the smartest LLMs in the world.” Technically, Behemoth is built on a Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) architecture, designed to optimize both power and efficiency. It is said to have a total of 2 trillion parameters, with 288 billion active at any given inference — a staggering scale, even by today’s AI standards. What made Behemoth especially interesting was its use of iRoPE (interleaved Rotary Position Embedding), an architectural choice that allows the model to handle extremely long context windows—up to 10 million tokens. That means it could, in theory, retain far more contextual information during a conversation or data task than most current models can manage. But theory doesn’t always play out smoothly in practice. “Meta’s Behemoth delay aligns with a market that is actively shifting from scale-first strategies to deployment-first priorities,” Gogia added. “Controlled Open LLMs and SLMs are central to this reorientation — and to what we believe is the future of trustworthy enterprise AI.” How Behemoth stacks up against the competition When Behemoth was first previewed in April, it was positioned as Meta’s answer to the dominance of models like OpenAI’s GPT-4.5, Anthropic’s Claude 3.5/3.7, and Google’s Gemini 1.5/2.5 series. Each of those models has made strides in different areas. OpenAI’s GPT-4 Turbo remains strong in reasoning and code generation. Claude 3.5 Sonnet is gaining attention for its efficiency and balance between performance and cost. Gemini Pro 1.5, from Google, excels in multimodal tasks and integration with enterprise tools. Behemoth, in contrast, showed strong results in STEM benchmarks and long-context tasks but has yet to demonstrate a clear superiority across commercial and enterprise-grade benchmarks. That ambiguity is believed to have contributed to Meta’s hesitation in launching the model publicly. Gogia noted that the situation “reignites a vital industry dialogue: is bigger still better?” Increasingly, enterprise buyers are leaning toward SLMs (Small Language Models) and Controlled Open LLMs, which offer better governance, easier integration, and clearer ROI compared to gargantuan foundation models that demand complex infrastructure and longer implementation cycles. A telling sign for the AI industry This delay speaks volumes about where the AI industry is heading. For much of 2023 and 2024, the narrative was about who could build the largest model. But as model sizes ballooned, the return on added parameters began to flatten out. AI experts and practitioners now acknowledge that smarter architectural design, domain specificity, and deployment efficiency are fast becoming the new metrics of success. Meta’s experience with smaller models like Scout and Maverick reinforces this trend—many users have found them to be more practical and easier to fine-tune for specific use cases. There’s also a financial and sustainability angle. Training and running ultra-large models like Behemoth requires immense computing resources, energy, and fine-grained optimization. Even for Meta, this scale introduces operational trade-offs, including cost, latency, and reliability concerns. Why enterprises should pay attention For enterprise IT and innovation leaders, the delay isn’t just about Meta—it reflects a more fundamental decision point around AI adoption. Enterprises are moving away from chasing the biggest models in favor of those that offer tighter control, compliance readiness, and explainability. Gogia pointed out that “usability, governance, and real-world readiness” are becoming central filters in AI procurement, especially in regulated sectors like finance, healthcare, and government. The delay of Behemoth may accelerate the adoption of open-weight, deployment-friendly models such as Llama 4 Scout, or even third-party solutions that are optimized for enterprise workflows. The choice now isn’t about raw performance alone—it’s about aligning AI capabilities with specific business goals. What lies ahead Meta’s delay doesn’t suggest failure — it’s a strategic pause. If anything, it shows the company’s willingness to prioritize stability and impact over hype. Behemoth still has the potential to become a powerful tool, but only if it proves itself in the areas that matter most: performance consistency, scalability, and enterprise integration. “This doesn’t negate the value of scale, but it elevates a new set of criteria that enterprises now care about deeply,” Gogia stated. In the coming months, as Meta refines Behemoth and the industry moves deeper into deployment-era AI, one thing is clear: we are moving beyond the age of AI spectacle into an age of applied, responsible intelligence.

Metal 3D printer manufacturer Nikon SLM Solutions has formed a strategic partnership with U.S.-based specialty materials producer Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI) and engineering firm Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. (BPMI) to drive advancements in hypersonic and naval propulsion technologies. As part of this collaboration, ATI has acquired the NXG 600E metal additive manufacturing system to boost production capacity for critical components supporting U.S. Navy and Department of Defense programs at its manufacturing sites. “The NXG 600E’s expansive build volume and sophisticated support structure capabilities align seamlessly with U.S. Navy propulsion requirements,” expressed Nathan Weiderspahn, BPMI Executive Manager, Industrial Base Management. “Nikon SLM Solutions’ cutting-edge additive manufacturing technology is set to play a pivotal role in advancing the U.S. Navy’s operational readiness, contributing to the maintenance and enhancement of our nation’s fleet.” SLM Solutions’ NXG XII 600E 3D printer. Image via SLM Solutions. Expanding Defense Manufacturing with the NXG 600E As part of this partnership, ATI has purchased the NXG 600E metal additive manufacturing system. The system was selected to address the technical requirements of U.S. Navy propulsion and hypersonic weapon components. With its 1.5-meter Z-axis and high production capacity, the NXG 600E is intended to support ATI’s manufacturing capabilities in defense applications. ATI plans to utilize Inconel 625 with the NXG 600E, a high-performance alloy widely used in hypersonic and naval propulsion systems, as well as various demanding industrial applications. The June delivery of the NXG 600E is expected to enhance ATI’s metal additive manufacturing capabilities, leveraging their proven success with the SLM125 and expertise in Nikon SLM’s open machine architecture and advanced parameter development. SLM 280 3D printer. Photo via Nikon SLM Solutions. “In the dynamic landscape of additive manufacturing, Nikon SLM Solutions is taking a significant leap forward,” said Sam O’Leary, CEO. ” This strategic development underscores our commitment to delivering American-made ingenuity, superior technology, and empowering the defense and aerospace sectors with cutting-edge additive manufacturing capabilities,” said Sam O’Leary, CEO of Nikon SLM Solutions. Industrial Adoption of the NXG XII 600E Launched in 2022, the NXG XII 600E by SLM Solutions is a metal additive manufacturing system with a build volume of 600 × 600 × 1,500 mm enabled by a 1.5-meter Z-axis. Equipped with twelve 1,000-watt lasers, the NXG delivers fast and accurate melting of metal powder, enabling the production of high-quality, uniform parts. The system is designed to handle large, complex components in a single build and supports industrial-scale production with features aimed at improving speed and process control. It includes workflow enhancements intended to maximize machine uptime and reduce production cycle times. Among the recent adopters of the NXG XII 600 technology is German multinational engineering and technology company Bosch launched a new metal additive manufacturing facility at its Nuremberg plant, investing nearly €6 million.  At the heart of the facility is a Nikon SLM Solutions NXG XII 600 metal 3D printer, which the company says will play a key role in producing complex metal parts more efficiently. With this addition, the automotive giant sees itself as the first Tier-1 automotive supplier in Europe to operate a facility in this performance class. Elsewhere, semiconductor manufacturing company Veeco started using Nikon SLM Solutions’ NXG XII 600 metal AM system to advance its production processes. Designed for creating intricate components such as gas delivery systems and heat exchangers, the technology enhances precision and efficiency in semiconductor manufacturing. Having integrated additive manufacturing into its operations, Veeco aims to enhance productivity and accelerate time-to-market. Take the 3DPI Reader Survey — shape the future of AM reporting in under 5 minutes. Who won the 2024 3D Printing Industry Awards? Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news. You can also follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content. Featured image shows Nikon 3D Printing. Photo via Nikon. Paloma Duran Paloma Duran holds a BA in International Relations and an MA in Journalism. Specializing in writing, podcasting, and content and event creation, she works across politics, energy, mining, and technology. With a passion for global trends, Paloma is particularly interested in the impact of technology like 3D printing on shaping our future.

Illustration of norovirus particlesJ Marshall/Tribaleye Images/Alamy A norovirus vaccine pill that cuts the risk of infection could be available in a few years, after it showed promise in a trial where people were intentionally exposed to the virus. The highly contagious virus infects the stomach and intestines, causing vomiting and diarrhoea that typically resolve within a few days. “Billions are lost from the economy globally every year because of the lost days of work and hospitalisation,” says Sarah Caddy at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Advertisement Sean Tucker at biotech company Vaxart in San Francisco and his colleagues previously developed an oral vaccine that boosted levels of IgA antibodies that can block norovirus from entering cells, suggesting it could prevent infections. Now, the researchers have tested this on 141 people aged between 18 and 49, about half of whom took the pill, while the others took a placebo. A month later, all the participants intentionally swallowed a high dose of the GI.1 strain of norovirus in liquid form, while in quarantine. “In the real-world setting, you need 10 to 100 viral particles to be infected, and we use 1 million particles,” says Tucker. This helped to ensure enough people got infected, he says. In the following week, 82 per cent of those in the placebo group became infected, but only 57 per cent of vaccinated participants did. Get the most essential health and fitness news in your inbox every Saturday. Sign up to newsletter “I think most individuals would be interested in taking [the vaccine] if you can reduce your risk by around [25 percentage points] and avoid getting really debilitating symptoms,” says Caddy, who wasn’t involved in the study. The team also found that vaccinated participants shed substantially less virus in their stool and vomit than those who took the placebo. This suggests the vaccine could slow the spread of the virus, although that needs to be directly tested, says Caddy. In another analysis, the scientists confirmed that the vaccine probably works by boosting levels of protective IgA antibodies in saliva and in the gut, blood and nose. However, it is unclear how long this protection would last. Further work is also needed to verify the findings in young children and older adults, who are especially at risk of being hospitalised, says Caddy. Most noroviruses that infect humans belong to two groups, known as GI and GII. Based on unpublished work by his team, the GI.1 vaccine would probably protect against other closely related GI variants, says Tucker. The team is also developing a vaccine that can protect against GI and GII viruses. If all goes well, Tucker hopes the GI.1 vaccine could be rolled out in two to three years. Journal reference:Science Translational Medicine DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adh9906 Topics:

Author(s): Towards AI Editorial Team Originally published on Towards AI. Over the past two years, we’ve helped teams design and deploy real-world LLM systems — RAG pipelines, copilots that actually reduce load, PoCs that became products, and cut down hallucinations. One year ago, we decided to put everything we knew about building architectures around LLMs — the stack, the mistakes, the gotchas, the strategies — into a single guide: Building LLMs for Production — “the most comprehensive textbook to date on building LLM applications,” as Jerry Liu (Founder & CEO, LlamaIndex) put it. The response was amazing. People read it. People built with it. People shared it. But a few months in, our DMs started filling up: “Has the book been updated?” “Does it cover the latest models like o3 or Gemini 2.5?” “Can I use [X vector DB] instead?” “How do I choose the right model for my use case?” “What if I want to do [insert new approach] that isn’t in the book?” Fair. The landscape’s shifting fast. Inference got scaled. SLMs showed up. Context windows stretched. Costs dropped. Everything moved. If AI has taught us anything, it’s to think AI-first — not just to keep up, but to build in ways that scale. So instead of answering each DM (which we still do), we took a step back. And we decided to build something that answers all of it, now and as things evolve. The result? From Beginner to Advanced LLM Developer A 60+ hour, hands-on course that takes you from “I can prompt ChatGPT” → to deploying a production-grade RAG system with a real front end. But we didn’t just pack it with knowledge — we designed it to evolve with the field. Here’s what you walk away with: ✅ A repeatable pipeline that adapts with tools, not trends ✅ A deep instinct for how to think like an AI engineer ✅ Lifetime access and weekly updates as the ecosystem changes ✅ A private Slack for graduates + a 70,000+ builder community on Discord Because staying current isn’t enough — you also need confidence that what you ship today still holds tomorrow. That’s why we’re now running monthly live cohorts — so you stay sharp, supported, and up to date. The next cohort kicks off June 1 with a live welcome call with our CEO. Launch price: $249 (75 % off) — zero risk thanks to a 30-day money-back guarantee. 👉 Join the course here The results speak for themselves: “The course greatly expanded my knowledge of building and assessing RAG pipelines.” — Eoin McGrath “Best course out there to become an AI engineer. Planning to build my own startup based on the learnings.” — Abhijit L. “From zero to hero as an LLM Developer — a clear path to build LLM applications that can change your career.” — Luca Tanieli Even industry voices you know have shared support: “A resource I’ll return to again and again, no matter how fast the AI landscape shifts.” — Tina Huang, Lonely Octopus This course is for you: You know Python but haven’t taken an LLM past the notebook. If you’re frustrated by shallow tutorials and fragmented docs… If you want to build things that work, not just read about them… If you’re ready to take LLMs seriously and want a proven structure… There’s a roadmap. And it’s working. The next cohort starts June 1st. As soon as you join, you get full access to all course material — no need to wait for the live kickoff. You can start building right away. What You’ll Learn: 🧠 LLM Basics & Prompt Mastery Transformers, tokenization, and prompting that actually reduces hallucinations 🔍 Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) Chunking, embedding models, re-ranking, query rewriting, eval, and feedback loops 🎨 Fine-Tuning LoRA, adapters, and domain-specific models that actually perform 🤖 Tool & API Integration Function calling, external tools, and chained agent workflows 🚀 Deployment & Cost Control Gradio, Streamlit, latency fixes, caching, logging, monitoring, cost tracking 🏆 Capstone Project & Certification Build and ship your own LLM app — get feedback, and leave with a portfolio-ready build If you’re thinking, “This sounds great, but what if it’s not for me?” — we get it. That’s why the course comes with a 30-day, no-questions-asked money-back guarantee. Try it. Dive into the material. If it doesn’t meet your expectations, we’ll refund you in full. 👉 Secure your spot for the June 1st cohort Join thousands of data leaders on the AI newsletter. Join over 80,000 subscribers and keep up to date with the latest developments in AI. From research to projects and ideas. If you are building an AI startup, an AI-related product, or a service, we invite you to consider becoming a sponsor. Published via Towards AI

Researchers from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and multiple collaborating institutions are advancing the use of additive manufacturing (AM) to produce zinc-based biomaterials for biodegradable medical implants. Motivated by the need for temporary implants that naturally degrade in the body, thereby eliminating risks associated with long-term metal retention, the team investigated selective laser melting (SLM) and binder jetting as methods to process zinc and zinc oxide powders into patient-specific scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration. Their findings, published in Acta Biomaterialia, demonstrate the feasibility of fabricating porous zinc structures with tailored degradation rates and mechanical properties. The study addresses key challenges in fabricating zinc structures via AM, including the metal’s low boiling point, high reflectivity, and tendency to oxidize. These properties have historically complicated laser-based processing, limiting zinc’s use in load-bearing biomedical applications despite its attractive profile as a biodegradable, bioactive material. Zinc as a next-generation biodegradable metal for AM Zinc’s corrosion rate is slower than that of magnesium but significantly faster than iron, placing it in an ideal range for bioresorption over a clinically relevant time frame. It also exhibits inherent antibacterial properties and plays a role in osteogenesis. However, traditional manufacturing routes have struggled to produce complex, porous zinc scaffolds suitable for bone in-growth. Additive manufacturing enables the fabrication of patient-specific, lattice-based implants with fine control over pore geometry, strut thickness, and internal architecture. In this study, SLM was used to process zinc powder into porous structures, while inkjet printing of zinc oxide was followed by a post-processing step that included sintering and reduction to metallic zinc. Both methods demonstrated potential to overcome the design limitations of conventional manufacturing, with implications for orthopedic and craniofacial implant design.(i) Schematic of a typical Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) machine, illustrating the inert atmosphere within the construction chamber and the direction of gas movement indicated by blue arrows. (ii) (a) Typical Selective Laser Melting (SLM) process; (b) SLM process schematic showing the processing chamber and gas circulation system; (c) Parameters for processing. (iii) Setup for the Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) process. (iv) (a) Schematic of an Electron Beam Melting (EBM) machine. (v) Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) process. (vi) (a) Diagram of laser powder Directed Energy Deposition (DED) systems; (b) Schematic of Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) equipment based on plasma arc welding. (vii) Schematics for the Binder Jetting (BJ) process. Image via Journal of Materials Research and Technology. Optimizing AM parameters for zinc processing SLM processing required fine-tuning to mitigate evaporation and reduce porosity caused by keyhole formation. The authors suggest that alloying zinc with elements such as magnesium, calcium, or silver may improve printability, mechanical performance, and degradation behavior. With optimized parameters, the team achieved scaffolds with compressive strengths in the range of cancellous bone and interconnected pores that facilitate vascularization and cell migration. Inkjet-based AM offered an alternative pathway, especially for producing lower-density structures with finer feature resolution. However, it introduced challenges related to shrinkage and sintering-induced defects. Despite these issues, both AM approaches enabled the fabrication of cytocompatible scaffolds that supported cell attachment and proliferation in vitro, meeting preliminary benchmarks for biocompatibility. In vitro antibacterial activity: Bacterial morphology on the surface of samples after co-culture with (a) S. aureus and (b) E. coli (arrows tips indicated dead bacteria with broken and incomplete bacterial cell walls); (c) Images of S. aureus and E. coli on TSA after co-cultured with samples; (d) Antibacterial rates calculated by colony counting method; (e) Antibacterial abilities of the samples after incubation with PBS for 3, 7 days. Image via Journal of Materials Research and Technology. Toward clinical translation and customized implants The paper positions AM zinc devices as candidates for temporary bone fixation, load-sharing scaffolds, and biodegradable stents. Unlike permanent metallic implants, these devices gradually degrade in the body, reducing long-term complication risks and eliminating the need for surgical removal. Additive manufacturing’s digital design flexibility further supports the integration of patient-specific anatomical data, potentially reducing recovery times and improving treatment outcomes. Looking ahead, the authors emphasize the need for further in vivo testing and alloy development to tune degradation rates and biofunctionality. Hybrid AM strategies, such as combining inkjet-printed sacrificial templates with SLM overlays, may allow for functionally graded materials and composite structures. Advancements in biodegradable implants Recent advancements in 3D printing of zinc-based biomaterials for biodegradable medical implants highlight the growing interest in utilizing AM to create patient-specific, bioresorbable metal implants. This trend is part of a broader movement in the field of AM of bioresorbable metals, where researchers are exploring materials like magnesium, iron, and zinc to develop implants that safely degrade within the body over time. One pertinent example is the work by engineers at Delft University of Technology, who have utilized extrusion-based 3D printing to fabricate biodegradable bone implants made of porous iron. Similar to zinc, porous iron is biodegradable and has potential as a temporary bone substitute that degrades as new bone regrows, thereby reducing the risk of long-term inflammation associated with permanent metal implants. The Delft team developed a purpose-built extrusion-based setup to overcome challenges related to the low biodegradation rate of bulk iron, achieving porous structures with enhanced biodegradability and mechanical properties suitable for bone healing. Another notable development is the research conducted by RWTH Aachen University, where scientists have been working on lattice structures manufactured from a zinc-magnesium (ZnMg) alloy using Laser Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB). These structures are designed to be patient-friendly and promote bone healing, with the ZnMg alloy offering a balance between mechanical strength and biodegradability. The researchers aim to develop bone-mimicking structures while gradually degrading in the body, eliminating the need for secondary surgeries to remove implants.As additive manufacturing continues to mature, zinc-based bioresorbable devices may offer a crucial link between materials science, digital fabrication, and personalized medicine.What 3D printing trends should you watch out for in 2025? How is the future of 3D printing shaping up? Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on LinkedIn and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content. Feature image shows a scanning electron microscope scan of a single laser scan cross-section of a tested nickel and zinc alloy structure. Image via Texas A&M University.