Show Notes
Title
3D Printing in Practice | From Hobby Tech to Industrial Workhorse.
Introduction
3D printing isn't just for fragile prototypes or weekend gadgets anymore.
In this episode of Big Ideas Only, host Mikkel Svold visits the Center for Industrial 3D Printing at the Danish Technological Institute (DTI) to explore how additive manufacturing is used in real production today.
Guests Kristoffer Ryelund Nielsen (former Head of Engineering) and Karl Frederik Fischer (PhD, Materials Science) walk through the machines, parts, and business cases that make 3D printing a serious tool for industry.
In this episode, you'll learn about:
- Why "additive manufacturing" is more than prototyping and where it shines in production.
- Powder-based processes for plastics and metals.
- How industries are adopting 3D printing today.
- The concrete advantages of printing in 3D.
- Real examples: titanium robot grippers, hollow bike pulley wheels, food nozzles, and consolidated rocket components.
- Certifications and standards for medical and food-grade parts.
- What the future looks like with 3D printing.
Episode Content
00:04 3D printing beyond the Wish-printer stereotype
02:45 From prototyping to full-scale production parts
06:37 When printing wins: faster lead times and optimized designs
16:57 "What's the biggest opportunity?" — why the most valuable ideas are still emerging
18:02 Space example: consolidated rocket engines with fewer parts and better cooling
25:38 Most overlooked use case: enabling designs that were previously impossible
27:07 Everyday adoption you don't notice: Lego molds, hearing aids, dental parts
29:30 The future: mass customization and digital inventories