Universities are under increasing pressure to deliver world-class research, secure external funding and strengthen collaboration with industry. Industrial additive manufacturing is becoming an important part of that strategy, enabling research teams to develop, test and refine ideas faster while reducing dependence on traditional manufacturing methods.
Engineering research often depends on custom components, experimental fixtures, laboratory tooling and functional prototypes. Traditionally, producing these parts has meant outsourcing to machine shops, resulting in long lead times and limited flexibility.
Industrial 3D printing changes that.
By manufacturing components in-house, universities can respond more quickly to new research opportunities, iterate designs in days rather than weeks and support a much wider range of engineering projects.
More Than a Teaching Tool
Industrial additive manufacturing is often associated with student projects and engineering education, but many universities are discovering its greatest value lies in research.
Modern engineering research demands flexibility.
Whether investigating new manufacturing processes, testing advanced materials or developing bespoke experimental equipment, research teams need the freedom to manufacture components quickly without compromising quality.
Industrial 3D printing provides that capability while complementing existing manufacturing methods rather than replacing them.
Researchers can rapidly produce:
- Experimental fixtures
- Laboratory tooling
- Functional prototypes
- Manufacturing aids
- Custom test equipment
- End-use research components
- Replacement parts for specialist equipment
This ability to iterate quickly allows more time to be spent developing new ideas and less time waiting for parts to arrive.
Supporting Collaborative Research
Universities increasingly work alongside industry through collaborative R&D projects, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs), Innovate UK programmes and contract research.
Having industrial additive manufacturing capability in-house enables engineering departments to respond much faster to partner requirements.
Instead of outsourcing every prototype or tooling component, researchers can manufacture, evaluate and refine designs internally before progressing to production.
This shortens development cycles while creating greater opportunities for innovation.
Case Study: University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
One example is the Integrated and Advanced Manufacturing Research Group at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
The group carries out publicly and privately funded research across manufacturing technologies including additive manufacturing, polymer processing, natural fibres and biomanufacturing, while also working with industries such as aeronautics, metallurgy and agriculture.
To expand its research capability, the university introduced Markforged additive manufacturing systems to complement conventional manufacturing processes.
Their objective wasn’t simply to acquire another 3D printer.
It was to create new opportunities for research, develop innovative manufacturing methods and provide greater flexibility when tackling complex engineering challenges.
One research project focused on producing complex copper EDM electrodes using metal additive manufacturing.
The university demonstrated that functional copper electrodes could be manufactured using Markforged technology, producing material removal rates comparable with conventional electrodes while opening new possibilities for manufacturing geometries that would be difficult or uneconomical to produce using traditional methods.
More importantly, the additive manufacturing capability enabled the research team to undertake projects that would previously have been difficult to deliver using in-house resources.
As Pablo Rubén Bordón Pérez, Industrial Engineer and Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, explains:
We are currently developing several applications with Markforged technology… functional prototypes and medical implants… being able to produce copper electrodes with complex geometric designs lets us find solutions for unexpected challenges
Supporting Future Research
For many universities, the value of industrial additive manufacturing extends well beyond individual projects.
Research equipment purchased today becomes a platform for future innovation.
The University of Las Palmas highlights that while research organisations don’t always evaluate investment in the same way as commercial businesses, additive manufacturing creates long-term value by expanding research capability and helping attract future funding opportunities.
That is an increasingly important consideration for engineering departments seeking to remain competitive.
Why the Markforged FX10 is an Ideal Research Platform
While research applications vary significantly, many universities are looking for technology that is reliable, easy to use and capable of supporting multiple research groups.
The Markforged FX10 offers:
- Engineering-grade composite materials
- Continuous carbon fibre reinforcement
- Reliable, repeatable production
- Cloud-based print management
- A large build volume for functional components
- Professional UK installation, training and support
It provides researchers with the flexibility to develop tooling, fixtures and functional engineering components quickly, while also supporting teaching and collaborative industrial projects from a single platform.
Bringing Teaching, Research and Industry Together
Industrial additive manufacturing is helping universities achieve more than faster prototyping.
It enables engineering departments to:
- Prepare students for modern manufacturing careers
- Accelerate engineering research
- Support collaborative industrial innovation
- Reduce lead times for custom tooling and fixtures
- Strengthen links between academia and manufacturing
As universities continue to expand their role in innovation, industrial 3D printing is becoming an essential technology for modern engineering departments.
Download the University Case Study
Discover how the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is using Markforged additive manufacturing to support engineering research and develop innovative manufacturing solutions.
👉 Download the University of Las Palmas Customer Success Story
Leave A Comment