3D Printing News: Space Beam, Metal AM & Snapmaker EOL
By Dynafabs
3D printing news: Orbital Matter prints a beam in space, Xact Metal hits record orders, 3D Systems expands, and Snapmaker ends three lines.
Space, shop-floor metal printers and a few familiar desktop brands all made the news this week. German startup Orbital Matter printed a rigid beam in orbit, affordable metal AM keeps growing in the US, 3D Systems opened a bigger Colorado hub, and Snapmaker put three older product lines on end-of-life. Here's what happened and why it matters if you order parts.
Orbital Matter prints a rigid beam in the vacuum of space
German startup Orbital Matter says its Replicator 2 satellite has 3D-printed a half-metre rigid beam in the vacuum of space — a first for a free-flying spacecraft, according to TechCrunch.
Replicator 2 launched on a SpaceX rideshare this summer with four of the company's printers on board. Each extrudes coils of a custom resin that cure under ultraviolet light. One printer failed after an anomaly, but another still produced a boom that successfully deployed a flexible solar array. Previous microgravity printing work was mostly limited to the pressurised International Space Station; this demonstration happened in open vacuum.
CEO and co-founder Jakub Stojek said the point is to build arrays at whatever size a mission needs, rather than folding giant origami structures into a rocket fairing. The company is partnering with the European Space Agency and Thales Alenia, raised a $3 million seed round, and plans a larger demonstration around 2028 aiming at a 5 kW solar array, with 100+ kW wings as a longer-term target. Engineers think 100-metre booms are feasible once more resin is carried.
Why it matters: most of us will never print in orbit, but the same idea shows up on the ground: print the structure you need when you need it, instead of tooling for every size. For earthly parts, that still starts with a good file and the right material — see our file prep checklist.
Xact Metal reports record orders and opens XM300G sales
Pennsylvania metal-printer maker Xact Metal says it saw record orders in both Q2 and Q3 of 2026, with order growth up more than 30% through September versus the prior year.
CEO Juan Mario Gomez said the XM200G single- and dual-laser machines continue to sell strongly, and the new XM200G μHD — aimed at very small parts with finer powder and a 25 μm laser spot — started shipping in Q3 2026. The company is now taking orders for the mid-size XM300G (300 × 300 × 300 mm build volume, upgradable to 400 mm tall, with one to four independent lasers), with shipments planned from mid-2027.
Why it matters: metal printing is still mostly an industrial story, but cheaper mid-size machines keep widening who can run them. Polymer FDM stays the practical route for most brackets, jigs and prototypes; our materials guide covers what to pick for those jobs.
3D Systems opens a new Industrial Technology Center in Colorado
3D Systems has opened a new Industrial Technology Center in Littleton, Colorado, adding about 50,000 square feet of office and production space. That takes the company's manufacturing capacity across the US and Europe to roughly 250,000 square feet.
The Littleton campus is aimed at aerospace, defence and semiconductor customers, with ISO 9001 / AS9100D certification and ITAR registration. CEO Dr Jeffrey Graves framed it as helping customers move from concept to qualified production faster while strengthening domestic supply chains.
Why it matters: more certified capacity means more of the regulated industries that need traceable, repeatable parts can stay on additive routes. For everyday UK jobs the lesson is the same at a smaller scale: tell us what the part has to survive, and we'll match material and settings.
Snapmaker ends three older product lines
Snapmaker has announced end-of-life for the Snapmaker 2.0, J1/J1s and Ray lines, 3D Printing Journal's China Watch reports. Official channels will stop manufacturing and actively selling them; remaining stock will clear through selected stores and authorised resellers.
Existing warranties stay valid. Software and compatibility updates run until 29 October 2028, with critical firmware and security patches until 29 October 2029. No new features are planned. Spare parts remain available while stock lasts, so the company advises owners not to delay buying components they may need. Documentation, firmware and software stay publicly available indefinitely.
Why it matters: if you own one of those machines, plan your spares now. If you're shopping for a new printer, check which platforms still have active support. And if you'd rather not own the machine at all, Dynafabs can print parts for you.
FAQ
Does any of this change what Dynafabs can print? Not overnight. We still focus on polymer FDM and resin for minis, prototypes and functional parts. The industrial metal and space stories show where the wider industry is heading.
I have an older Snapmaker — should I worry? Warranties and security patches continue for years, but start stocking common spares if you rely on the machine. Or send files to a service when you need a break from maintaining kit.
How do I get a quote? Upload your file or describe the job on our quote page — no account needed.
Got a project in mind?
Whether it's a display piece, a tough bracket or a batch of tabletop minis, get a quote from Dynafabs and we'll help you pick the right material and settings.
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