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.

In this post, we describe FrodoKEM, a key encapsulation protocol that offers a simple design and provides strong security guarantees even in a future with powerful quantum computers. The quantum threat to cryptography For decades, modern cryptography has relied on mathematical problems that are practically impossible for classical computers to solve without a secret key. Cryptosystems like RSA, Diffie-Hellman key-exchange, and elliptic curve-based schemes—which rely on the hardness of the integer factorization and (elliptic curve) discrete logarithm problems—secure communications on the internet, banking transactions, and even national security systems. However, the emergence of Quantum computers leverage the principles of quantum mechanics to perform certain calculations exponentially faster than classical computers. Their ability to solve complex problems, such as simulating molecular interactions, optimizing large-scale systems, and accelerating machine learning, is expected to have profound and beneficial implications for fields ranging from chemistry and material science to artificial intelligence. Spotlight: AI-POWERED EXPERIENCE Microsoft research copilot experience Discover more about research at Microsoft through our AI-powered experience Start now Opens in a new tab At the same time, quantum computing is poised to disrupt cryptography. In particular, Shor’s algorithm, a quantum algorithm developed in 1994, can efficiently factor large numbers and compute discrete logarithms—the very problems that underpin the security of RSA, Diffie-Hellman, and elliptic curve cryptography. This means that once large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers become available, public-key protocols based on RSA, ECC, and Diffie-Hellman will become insecure, breaking a sizable portion of the cryptographic backbone of today’s digital world. Recent advances in quantum computing, such as Microsoft’s Majorana 1 (opens in new tab), the first quantum processor powered by topological qubits, represent major steps toward practical quantum computing and underscore the urgency of transitioning to quantum-resistant cryptographic systems. To address this looming security crisis, cryptographers and government agencies have been working on post-quantum cryptography (PQC)—new cryptographic algorithms that can resist attacks from both classical and quantum computers. The NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography Standardization effort In 2017, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) launched the Post-Quantum Cryptography Standardization project (opens in new tab) to evaluate and select cryptographic algorithms capable of withstanding quantum attacks. As part of this initiative, NIST sought proposals for two types of cryptographic primitives: key encapsulation mechanisms (KEMs)—which enable two parties to securely derive a shared key to establish an encrypted connection, similar to traditional key exchange schemes—and digital signature schemes. This initiative attracted submissions from cryptographers worldwide, and after multiple evaluation rounds, NIST selected CRYSTALS-Kyber, a KEM based on structured lattices, and standardized it as ML-KEM (opens in new tab). Additionally, NIST selected three digital signature schemes: CRYSTALS-Dilithium, now called ML-DSA; SPHINCS+, now called SLH-DSA; and Falcon, now called FN-DSA. While ML-KEM provides great overall security and efficiency, some governments and cryptographic researchers advocate for the inclusion and standardization of alternative algorithms that minimize reliance on algebraic structure. Reducing algebraic structure might prevent potential vulnerabilities and, hence, can be considered a more conservative design choice. One such algorithm is FrodoKEM. International standardization of post-quantum cryptography Beyond NIST, other international standardization bodies have been actively working on quantum-resistant cryptographic solutions. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is leading a global effort to standardize additional PQC algorithms. Notably, European government agencies—including Germany’s BSI (opens in new tab), the Netherlands’ NLNCSA and AIVD (opens in new tab), and France’s ANSSI (opens in new tab)—have shown strong support for FrodoKEM, recognizing it as a conservative alternative to structured lattice-based schemes. As a result, FrodoKEM is undergoing standardization at ISO. Additionally, ISO is standardizing ML-KEM and a conservative code-based KEM called Classic McEliece. These three algorithms are planned for inclusion in ISO/IEC 18033-2:2006 as Amendment 2 (opens in new tab). What is FrodoKEM? FrodoKEM is a key encapsulation mechanism (KEM) based on the Learning with Errors (LWE) problem, a cornerstone of lattice-based cryptography. Unlike structured lattice-based schemes such as ML-KEM, FrodoKEM is built on generic, unstructured lattices, i.e., it is based on the plain LWE problem. Why unstructured lattices? Structured lattice-based schemes introduce additional algebraic properties that could potentially be exploited in future cryptanalytic attacks. By using unstructured lattices, FrodoKEM eliminates these concerns, making it a safer choice in the long run, albeit at the cost of larger key sizes and lower efficiency. It is important to emphasize that no particular cryptanalytic weaknesses are currently known for recommended parameterizations of structured lattice schemes in comparison to plain LWE. However, our current understanding of the security of these schemes could potentially change in the future with cryptanalytic advances. Lattices and the Learning with Errors (LWE) problem Lattice-based cryptography relies on the mathematical structure of lattices, which are regular arrangements of points in multidimensional space. A lattice is defined as the set of all integer linear combinations of a set of basis vectors. The difficulty of certain computational problems on lattices, such as the Shortest Vector Problem (SVP) and the Learning with Errors (LWE) problem, forms the basis of lattice-based schemes. The Learning with Errors (LWE) problem The LWE problem is a fundamental hard problem in lattice-based cryptography. It involves solving a system of linear equations where some small random error has been added to each equation, making it extremely difficult to recover the original secret values. This added error ensures that the problem remains computationally infeasible, even for quantum computers. Figure 1 below illustrates the LWE problem, specifically, the search version of the problem. As can be seen in Figure 1, for the setup of the problem we need a dimension \(n\) that defines the size of matrices, a modulus \(q\) that defines the value range of the matrix coefficients, and a certain error distribution \(\chi\) from which we sample \(\textit{“small”}\) matrices. We sample two matrices from \(\chi\), a small matrix \(\text{s}\) and an error matrix \(\text{e}\) (for simplicity in the explanation, we assume that both have only one column); sample an \(n \times n\) matrix \(\text{A}\) uniformly at random; and compute \(\text{b} = \text{A} \times \text{s} + \text{e}\). In the illustration, each matrix coefficient is represented by a colored square, and the “legend of coefficients” gives an idea of the size of the respective coefficients, e.g., orange squares represent the small coefficients of matrix \(\text{s}\) (small relative to the modulus \(q\)). Finally, given \(\text{A}\) and \(\text{b}\), the search LWE problem consists in finding \(\text{s}\). This problem is believed to be hard for suitably chosen parameters (e.g., for dimension \(n\) sufficiently large) and is used at the core of FrodoKEM. In comparison, the LWE variant used in ML-KEM—called Module-LWE (M-LWE)—has additional symmetries, adding mathematical structure that helps improve efficiency. In a setting similar to that of the search LWE problem above, the matrix \(\text{A}\) can be represented by just a single row of coefficients. FIGURE 1: Visualization of the (search) LWE problem. LWE is conjectured to be quantum-resistant, and FrodoKEM’s security is directly tied to its hardness. In other words, cryptanalysts and quantum researchers have not been able to devise an efficient quantum algorithm capable of solving the LWE problem and, hence, FrodoKEM. In cryptography, absolute security can never be guaranteed; instead, confidence in a problem’s hardness comes from extensive scrutiny and its resilience against attacks over time. How FrodoKEM Works FrodoKEM follows the standard paradigm of a KEM, which consists of three main operations—key generation, encapsulation, and decapsulation—performed interactively between a sender and a recipient with the goal of establishing a shared secret key: Key generation (KeyGen), computed by the recipient Generates a public key and a secret key. The public key is sent to the sender, while the private key remains secret. Encapsulation (Encapsulate), computed by the sender Generates a random session key. Encrypts the session key using the recipient’s public key to produce a ciphertext. Produces a shared key using the session key and the ciphertext. The ciphertext is sent to the recipient. Decapsulation (Decapsulate), computed by the recipient Decrypts the ciphertext using their secret key to recover the original session key. Reproduces the shared key using the decrypted session key and the ciphertext. The shared key generated by the sender and reconstructed by the recipient can then be used to establish secure symmetric-key encryption for further communication between the two parties. Figure 2 below shows a simplified view of the FrodoKEM protocol. As highlighted in red, FrodoKEM uses at its core LWE operations of the form “\(\text{b} = \text{A} \times \text{s} + \text{e}\)”, which are directly applied within the KEM paradigm. FIGURE 2: Simplified overview of FrodoKEM. Performance: Strong security has a cost Not relying on additional algebraic structure certainly comes at a cost for FrodoKEM in the form of increased protocol runtime and bandwidth. The table below compares the performance and key sizes corresponding to the FrodoKEM level 1 parameter set (variant called “FrodoKEM-640-AES”) and the respective parameter set of ML-KEM (variant called “ML-KEM-512”). These parameter sets are intended to match or exceed the brute force security of AES-128. As can be seen, the difference in speed and key sizes between FrodoKEM and ML-KEM is more than an order of magnitude. Nevertheless, the runtime of the FrodoKEM protocol remains reasonable for most applications. For example, on our benchmarking platform clocked at 3.2GHz, the measured runtimes are 0.97 ms, 1.9 ms, and 3.2 ms for security levels 1, 2, and 3, respectively. For security-sensitive applications, a more relevant comparison is with Classic McEliece, a post-quantum code-based scheme also considered for standardization. In this case, FrodoKEM offers several efficiency advantages. Classic McEliece’s public keys are significantly larger—well over an order of magnitude greater than FrodoKEM’s—and its key generation is substantially more computationally expensive. Nonetheless, Classic McEliece provides an advantage in certain static key-exchange scenarios, where its high key generation cost can be amortized across multiple key encapsulation executions. TABLE 1: Comparison of key sizes and performance on an x86-64 processor for NIST level 1 parameter sets. A holistic design made with security in mind FrodoKEM’s design principles support security beyond its reliance on generic, unstructured lattices to minimize the attack surface of potential future cryptanalytic threats. Its parameters have been carefully chosen with additional security margins to withstand advancements in known attacks. Furthermore, FrodoKEM is designed with simplicity in mind—its internal operations are based on straightforward matrix-vector arithmetic using integer coefficients reduced modulo a power of two. These design decisions facilitate simple, compact and secure implementations that are also easier to maintain and to protect against side-channel attacks. Conclusion After years of research and analysis, the next generation of post-quantum cryptographic algorithms has arrived. NIST has chosen strong PQC protocols that we believe will serve Microsoft and its customers well in many applications. For security-sensitive applications, FrodoKEM offers a secure yet practical approach for post-quantum cryptography. While its reliance on unstructured lattices results in larger key sizes and higher computational overhead compared to structured lattice-based alternatives, it provides strong security assurances against potential future attacks. Given the ongoing standardization efforts and its endorsement by multiple governmental agencies, FrodoKEM is well-positioned as a viable alternative for organizations seeking long-term cryptographic resilience in a post-quantum world. Further Reading For those interested in learning more about FrodoKEM, post-quantum cryptography, and lattice-based cryptography, the following resources provide valuable insights: The official FrodoKEM website: https://frodokem.org/ (opens in new tab), which contains, among several other resources, FrodoKEM’s specification document. The official FrodoKEM software library: https://github.com/Microsoft/PQCrypto-LWEKE (opens in new tab), which contains reference and optimized implementations of FrodoKEM written in C and Python. NIST’s Post-Quantum Cryptography Project: https://csrc.nist.gov/projects/post-quantum-cryptography (opens in new tab). Microsoft’s blogpost on its transition plan for PQC: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoft-security-blog/microsofts-quantum-resistant-cryptography-is-here/4238780 (opens in new tab). A comprehensive survey on lattice-based cryptography: Peikert, C. “A Decade of Lattice Cryptography.” Foundations and Trends in Theoretical Computer Science. (2016) A comprehensive tutorial on modern lattice-based schemes, including ML-KEM and ML-DSA: Lyubashevsky, V. “Basic Lattice Cryptography: The concepts behind Kyber (ML-KEM) and Dilithium (ML-DSA).” https://eprint.iacr.org/2024/1287 (opens in new tab). (2024) Opens in a new tab

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08932-0Examination of a complete structural phase diagram of twisted trilayer graphene shows that several large-scale moiré domain lattices can be formed, the physical properties of which can be tuned by the twist angles between layers.