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AM Insider Podcast
Answer your burning questions
Learn from experienced individuals
Discover how innovation can push the boundaries of what is possible
Informative discussions on the adoption of Additive Manufacturing
Season 3 / Episode 1
Inside the Furnace
In this episode of the AM Insider podcast, hosts Justin Hopkins and Dustin Kloempken sit down with Stefan Joens, a second-generation business owner of Elnik Systems. The conversation explores the critical but often misunderstood role of thermal processing in metal additive manufacturing, particularly for binder jetting and other sinter-based technologies.
Key Discussion Points
Redefining Sintering: Stefan argues that sintering should be viewed as an in-process step rather than "post-processing" because a metal part is not truly complete until it has undergone this thermal cycle.
The Science of the Furnace: The episode explains how furnaces vaporize polymer binders at low temperatures before heating metal particles just below their melting point to fuse them together. This process involves a significant shrinkage of 10% to 20%.
Batch vs. Continuous Furnaces: For companies deciding on equipment, Stefan notes that batch furnaces offer high flexibility for various alloys and runs under 200,000 parts, while continuous furnaces are the "unbeatable" choice for high-volume, consistent production.
The "Glass Box" Approach: Stefan shares his mission to turn the "black box" of furnace technology into a "glass box," focusing on educating users so they understand the metallurgy and physics happening inside the chamber.
Industry Evolution: The group discusses moving past the initial industry "hype" toward a more mature phase focused on alloy development—such as titanium, copper, and Inconel—and actual production-ready parts.
Expert Recommendations
Stefan strongly advises that before making a major capital investment, companies should benchmark their parts. He encourages sending full loads of printed parts to experts, such as his sister company DSH Technologies, to prove the process works before buying a furnace. He also recommends resources like the Metal Injection Molding Association (MIMA) and the Formnext and Rapid + TCT trade shows for continued learning.
Season 3 / Episode 2
Additive Meets Medicine
Medical 3D printing is one of the most promising—and misunderstood—areas of additive manufacturing. In this episode of AM Insider, we’re joined by Ben Klein, a biomedical engineer and former leader in medical additive manufacturing, to unpack what’s actually working in healthcare and why adoption takes longer than most expect.
Ben shares firsthand insight from building early medical 3D printing programs, including patient‑specific anatomical models, surgical guides, and tissue‑like training models used by surgeons and device manufacturers. We explore why hype-driven use cases often fail, how real clinical adoption happens, and what it takes for additive manufacturing to become part of the standard of care.
The conversation dives deep into workflow challenges, surgeon adoption, reimbursement realities, and how AI-driven automation could unlock the next phase of scalable medical 3D printing. Ben also offers practical advice for engineers, startups, and hospitals looking to enter the medical space—and what not to do if you want long-term success.
In this episode, we cover:
Why medical 3D printing adoption moves slower than other industries
Anatomical models vs. patient‑specific surgical guides
How surgeons actually decide whether to use 3D printed tools
Workflow and segmentation as the real bottleneck
The role of AI in automating medical design workflows
Reimbursement, regulation, and the path to standard of care
Where medical additive manufacturing is headed in the next 5–10 years
Whether you’re working in additive manufacturing, medical devices, healthcare innovation, or exploring how 3D printing fits into regulated industries, this episode offers a grounded, experience‑driven look at what it really takes to succeed.
Season 3 / Episode 3
AM Market Trends
In this episode of AM Insider, we sit down with Christian Seidel, professor of additive manufacturing and consultant at Wohlers Associates (powered by ASTM International), to explore where the additive manufacturing industry is headed in 2026 and beyond.
Christian shares insider insights on AM market growth trends, why the industry continues to grow at ~10% annually, and how AI is transforming metal 3D printing, process optimization, beam shaping, and quality assurance. We also discuss the critical role of standards in scaling additive manufacturing, including why ISO and ASTM standards matter for production, defense, aerospace, and regulated industries.
Key topics include:
The real state of the additive manufacturing market in 2026
Why Powder Bed Fusion still dominates metal AM—and where DED is gaining ground
How AI is being applied inside AM processes, not just data analysis
Defense vs. non‑defense AM growth and market hype
What skills the next generation of AM professionals must develop
Why process chains, production readiness, and standards will define the next phase of AM adoption
Season 3 / Episode 4
The Sound of Silence
This episode of AM Insider features guest Zeke Sudbury, an additive sales specialist at Atlix, who discusses his professional transition from the world of polymers and composites to metal additive manufacturing (AM). Hosted by Justin Hopkins and Dustin Kloempken, the conversation explores the technical and cultural differences between these two realms, noting that polymer expertise focuses on material science and polymer chains, while metal AM is more akin to welding engineering.
The central theme of the episode is the identification of "boring" but highly profitable applications that drive industry growth. Sudbury argues that while industries like aerospace and medical have long qualification cycles that can slow down progress, the firearm suppressor industry has effectively "saved" metal additive by providing a high-demand application with lower barriers to entry.
Key topics covered in the episode include:
The Suppressor Case Study: A deep dive into why suppressors are ideal for metal AM. Sudbury explains the thermodynamics behind their design, noting that additive allows for complex internal geometries and "baffles" that increase volume and decrease temperature to reduce external pressure. He also highlights how surface roughness, often viewed as a defect, is actually beneficial for suppressors as it adds turbulence and improves performance.
Industry Trends and Market Shifts: The discussion covers the recent surge in suppressor demand due to changes in government fees in early 2026 and the adoption of these components by the U.S. Army for hearing protection and toxic gas reduction.
The Role of AI and Software: How AI and cloud-based software (such as OAM for dental) are lowering the barrier to entry for new users by automating complex tasks like part orientation, support generation, and failure prediction.
Future Frontiers: Looking beyond suppressors, Sudbury identifies dental, semiconductors (pure nickel printing), and heat exchangers as the next major growth areas for the industry.
Advice for Professionals: Sudbury emphasizes the importance of networking and "being a sponge" when entering the field. He recommends the Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium in Austin, Texas, as a premier resource for anyone looking to understand the cutting-edge academic research driving the industry forward.
The episode concludes by emphasizing the importance of the feedback loop between academia, engineering, and sales to solve increasingly complex manufacturing problems.
Season 3 / Episode 5
Looking Back
In this special episode of AM Insider, hosts Justin Hopkins and Dustin Kloempken take a retrospective look at the transformative year of 2025. Using artificial intelligence to analyze their recordings from throughout the year, the hosts bridge the gap between early-year trends and the industry's current reality.
This episode provides a deep dive into the following key themes:
The AI Revolution in Additive Manufacturing: Explore how AI is lowering the barrier to entry for CAD and design, making it easier to manifest ideas and shifting the role of the Application Engineer toward higher-value data analysis and responsive workflows.
Industry Maturity vs. "The Hype": Justin and Dustin tackle the question of whether the industry is "dead" or simply maturing. They discuss the consolidation and bankruptcies of 2025—including names like Desktop Metal and BCM3D—while positioning the industry within the Gartner Hype Curve's trough of disillusionment.
The Rise of Production and Prosumer Tech: Learn why 2025 became the "year of the Bambu printer" and how AM is proving its worth in high-stakes production environments like the medical and drone markets.
Building a Resilient Career: Drawing on insights from guests like Amos and Brent Ewald, the hosts discuss non-linear career paths, the importance of soft skills like negotiation, and why a curious, problem-solving mindset is more valuable than any specific degree.
Whether you are an industry veteran or looking to start a career in additive manufacturing, this episode offers essential insights into how innovation is pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Stay curious and join us as we get inside the future of AM.