Introduction
With 15 years in manufacturing and a deep expertise in additive manufacturing (AM), Micah Chaban is a driving force behind RapidMade, a company that transforms engineering challenges into innovative, high-performance solutions. As a co-founder and the VP of Sales & Marketing, Micah has been at the forefront of AM’s evolution—helping industries like aerospace, medical, and industrial manufacturing unlock the full potential of 3D printing.
In this conversation, we take a deep dive into AM with Micah, exploring its capabilities, design challenges, and future impact on manufacturing.
How has additive manufacturing evolved over the past decade, and where does RapidMade fit into this transformation?
Additive manufacturing has come a long way from its roots in rapid prototyping. A decade ago, AM was mostly used to create early-stage prototypes—something engineers could hold in their hands before moving forward with traditional manufacturing. Today, we’re printing production-ready components for industries that demand high performance, from aerospace to medical devices.
RapidMade has been a key player in this shift. We specialize in industrial-grade AM, focusing on functional production parts, tooling, and customized solutions. Our goal is to help companies move beyond just prototyping and fully integrate AM into their manufacturing strategies. We don’t just print parts—we optimize designs, select the best materials, and ensure that our customers get parts that outperform traditional manufacturing methods.
What are the biggest advantages of AM compared to conventional manufacturing methods like CNC machining and injection molding?
Additive manufacturing really changes the game by eliminating a lot of the constraints that come with traditional manufacturing. One of the biggest advantages is design freedom. With CNC machining, you’re always working around tool access, and with injection molding, you have to consider things like draft angles and moldability. AM doesn’t have those restrictions—it lets us print incredibly complex geometries, like lattice structures, conformal cooling channels, and integrated assemblies, all in a single build. These are designs that would either be impossible or extremely costly to produce with conventional methods.
Another major advantage is material efficiency. Unlike machining, which removes material from a solid block, AM deposits material only where it’s needed. That means we can significantly reduce waste while also enabling advanced lightweighting strategies like topology optimization. For industries like aerospace, where every gram matters, that’s a huge benefit.
And then there’s the fact that AM eliminates tooling costs. With injection molding, you need expensive molds, which only makes sense if you’re producing at a high volume. But AM allows for cost-effective, small-batch production without that upfront tooling investment. That makes it ideal for custom products, spare parts, and even bridge manufacturing when companies need to fill the gap before full-scale production ramps up. Essentially, AM gives us more flexibility, better material utilization, and a more efficient way to produce low-to-medium volume parts without the high costs of traditional manufacturing.
What are the key design principles engineers should follow when optimizing parts for AM?
Designing for additive manufacturing isn’t just about making a part printable—it’s about using AM to its full potential while avoiding process limitations. Engineers who really understand DfAM can unlock major performance and cost benefits.
One of the biggest things to consider is topology optimization and lightweighting. Unlike traditional manufacturing, where you’re often constrained by machining or molding limitations, AM allows you to place material exactly where it’s needed. That means we can significantly reduce weight without sacrificing strength, which is especially important in industries like aerospace and automotive.
Another major principle is part consolidation. In traditional manufacturing, complex assemblies often require multiple parts that have to be fastened or welded together. With AM, we can take those assemblies and redesign them as a single, integrated component. That not only reduces weight and material usage but also eliminates weak points like joints and fasteners, improving overall durability.
Support structures are another consideration. Some AM processes require supports for overhangs, but these add material costs and post-processing time. Whenever possible, we design self-supporting features—using chamfers, fillets, and gradual transitions—to minimize the need for supports. This makes printing faster and more efficient while reducing waste.
And then there’s print orientation and anisotropy. Since AM parts are built layer by layer, their mechanical properties vary depending on the build direction. Engineers need to think about how loads will be distributed and align critical features with the strongest axis of the print to ensure the part performs as expected.
If engineers apply these principles from the start, they’ll end up with parts that are stronger, lighter, and more cost-effective while also reducing manufacturing time and post-processing effort. That’s where AM really shines.
How do material choices impact AM performance, and what should engineers consider when selecting a material?
Material selection is one of the most critical decisions in additive manufacturing because it directly affects a part’s strength, durability, heat resistance, and overall performance. Unlike traditional manufacturing, where materials are often chosen based on how easily they can be machined or molded, AM materials need to be evaluated based on their printability and how they’ll perform in the final application.
For polymers, you have a range of options depending on the application. Nylon is one of the most commonly used materials for functional prototypes and end-use parts because it’s strong and wear-resistant. If you need added strength, carbon-fiber-filled nylon is a great choice because it offers high stiffness and a better strength-to-weight ratio. On the other hand, SLA resins produce incredibly fine details, which is great for aesthetic or high-resolution parts, but they tend to be more brittle than other polymers.
Metals take AM to another level, especially for industries like aerospace, medical, and high-performance industrial applications. Titanium and Inconel are widely used because they offer an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio and can withstand extreme temperatures. Stainless steel is another go-to material because it provides corrosion resistance and durability, making it ideal for both industrial components and medical implants.
Then you have composites, which combine the best properties of multiple materials. Carbon-fiber-reinforced parts, for example, can be just as strong as aluminum but significantly lighter, which is a huge advantage for structural applications in aerospace and automotive. Multi-material AM is also emerging as a powerful tool, allowing engineers to print parts with variable stiffness or conductivity within a single build.
Ultimately, selecting the right material comes down to understanding the part’s operating conditions. Does it need to withstand high impact? Extreme temperatures? Continuous wear? Engineers who take the time to align their material choice with real-world performance requirements will get the best results from AM, whether they’re optimizing for strength, weight, or cost-efficiency.
What challenges do companies face when implementing AM for production, and how does RapidMade help overcome them?
The biggest challenge we see isn’t the technology—it’s the mindset shift. A lot of companies approach additive manufacturing by taking their existing parts, designed for machining or injection molding, and trying to 3D print them as-is. That rarely works well. Traditional designs aren’t optimized for AM, which leads to higher costs, longer print times, and parts that don’t fully take advantage of what 3D printing can offer. To really make AM work, companies need to rethink design from the ground up.
That’s where we come in. At RapidMade, we don’t just print parts—we work closely with engineers to optimize their designs for manufacturability. That means reducing material usage, improving strength, and making sure parts are designed to take full advantage of AM’s unique capabilities, like lightweight structures and part consolidation.
We also guide our clients in selecting the right AM process. With so many options—FDM, SLS, DMLS, MJF—picking the right technology is critical. Each one has different strengths, whether it’s for high-detail polymers, industrial-grade metals, or production-ready composites. Our team helps companies match the right process and material to their specific application.
Beyond that, we provide end-to-end support. Whether a company is just starting with AM for prototyping or transitioning to full-scale production, we help them navigate everything from design optimization to post-processing. The companies that truly embrace AM as more than just a prototyping tool unlock massive benefits—lower costs, faster production cycles, and entirely new design possibilities that simply aren’t achievable with traditional manufacturing.
Where do you see the future of AM heading, and how is RapidMade positioning itself for what’s next?
AM is moving toward full-scale production, not just prototyping. We’re seeing major advancements in high-speed sintering, multi-material printing, and AI-driven generative design that will further increase the efficiency and capabilities of 3D printing.
At RapidMade, we’re investing in cutting-edge AM technologies and pushing the boundaries of DfAM. We’re helping our clients go beyond the limitations of traditional manufacturing, creating lighter, stronger, and more cost-effective parts.
As industries continue to embrace AM for end-use production, RapidMade will be at the forefront—delivering innovative, engineering-driven solutions that redefine what’s possible in manufacturing.
Closing Thoughts
As additive manufacturing continues to disrupt traditional manufacturing, having the right partner is crucial. RapidMade combines deep engineering expertise with state-of-the-art AM technologies to deliver high-performance, production-ready solutions.
If you’re looking to optimize your designs, reduce costs, and take full advantage of 3D printing, contact RapidMade today. Let’s turn your biggest engineering challenges into innovative, manufacturable solutions.
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