We’re starting with business in this weekend’s 3D Printing News Briefs. Axtra3D just opened its expanded facility in Italy, and Austal USA expanded its leadership team. Then we’ll move on to 3D printers, with Mastrex and Sinterit each launching a new system. Finally, ExxonMobil used Meltio’s industrial DED technology to redesign an important component.
Axtra3D Opens Expanded EU Facility in Italy
This past week, Axtra3D announced a major expansion of its European operations, coinciding with the company’s recent fifth anniversary. As part of its EU growth strategy, Axtra3D acquired a much larger facility in Vicenza, Italy, and opened the doors just a few days ago. The 17,000 square foot facility, which was designed to support increased global demand for Axtra3D’s production-grade solutions, will become the main hub for the company’s European operations. In addition to hosting live demonstrations, validation programs, and technical workshops, the site will also integrate advanced application development, customer support operations, manufacturing, material validation, and product engineering. The facility emphasizes long-term operational efficiency and sustainable growth, and will also support cross-functional collaboration between the company’s materials, software, engineering, and customer application teams. Since it was founded in 2021, Axtra3D says it’s achieved more than 55% repeat customer growth and year-over-year increase in installed systems around the globe. So this expansion is reflective of its growing customer adoption, global momentum, and investment in scalable manufacturing infrastructure.
“The move to this new facility marks a significant milestone in Axtra3D’s evolution. This expansion is not simply about adding space. It is about building the operational and innovation infrastructure required to support the next generation of additive manufacturing applications at industrial scale,” said Gianni Zitelli, CEO and Founder of Axtra3D.
“Over the last several years, we have seen a meaningful shift in how manufacturers approach additive manufacturing, from prototyping toward validated end-use production. Customers increasingly require deeper collaboration, faster validation cycles, and integrated production support. This new facility enables us to strengthen those capabilities while scaling the infrastructure behind Axtra.Workflow, our fully connected manufacturing ecosystem.”
Austal USA Announces New President & Additions to Senior Leadership Team
Gene Miller, President of Austal USA
After a three-month search by its Board of Managers, ship manufacturer Austal USA recently announced that Gene Miller will be the company’s new president, effective immediately. Miller has served as interim president since February of 2026, after former president Michelle Kruger retired. Miller will lead more than 3,500 shipbuilding professionals across the company’s operations in San Diego, Mobile, Washington D.C., and several locations across Virginia. Inheriting a portfolio that has majorly grown in the past few years, he will oversee all aspects of Austal USA’s ship and submarine module manufacturing, and development of autonomous, sea-ready technologies. Miller certainly has the background for this position, having spent more than three decades in naval architecture and shipbuilding. He spent over 20 years in various leadership roles at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, served as director for amphibious ship programs at Ingalls Shipbuilding, held senior leadership roles across the industry, and joined Austal USA as COO in 2024.
Austal USA also welcomed three other members to its senior leadership team. Each has, as Miller said, “broad defense backgrounds that will contribute unique perspectives to their Austal USA leadership roles.” Michael Pruit, Vice President of Surface Ship Programs, managed multi-billion-dollar Navy surface ship portfolios at Northrup Grumman Shipbuilding and Huntington Ingalls Industries. He has a proven track record of fostering compliance, operational excellence, safety, and risk mitigation in all stages of ship building and delivery. Retired Captain Michael Oberdorf, Vice President of Submarine Programs, spent over 30 years in the Navy, bringing with him expertise in Navy program funding and nuclear submarine operations. Most recently, he was senior director of operations at Bath Iron Works. Finally, Andrew Hinkebein, Director of State and Local Government Relations, will lead Austal USA’s engagement efforts with local and state governments, strategic partners, community stakeholders, and economic development organizations. He’s a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, previously served as State Director for U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, and was on the staff of Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker of Mississippi.
Mastrex Launches Affordable Metal LPBF 3D Printer
Advanced AM solutions provider Mastrex, headquartered in New Jersey, has launched the industrial and affordable MX300, a metal laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) 3D printer priced at $185,000. With a 300 x 300 x 350 mm build volume, dual 500W lasers, and compatible with industrial alloys like aluminum, Inconel, and stainless steel, the new MX300 is meant for users who need dependable performance, scalability, and precision for demanding applications like aerospace, defense, and medical. It was developed to build a bridge between prototyping and full metal parts production, with a streamlined workflow, high-throughput architecture, and ability to repeatably handle large industrial applications as well as detailed geometries. Mastrex says the new MX300 is meant to make production environments simpler and reduce downtime, so manufacturers can more easily integrate metal LPBF into their existing operations.
“Launching the MX300 is an important milestone for Mastrex, as we continue our mission to enable the current and next generation with technologies that are robust, reliable, and accessible. Combined with our legacy in laser excellence, the MX300 is the pinnacle of precision and performance,” said Mastrex Co-Founder Ilay Fridland.
Sinterit Introduces Compact BIANCO2 CO₂ SLS 3D Printer
Sinterit introduced the new BIANCO2 in response to growing demand for more advanced process control and material freedom. It’s a compact SLS 3D printer, powered by RF CO₂ laser technology, that pairs an open material ecosystem with industrial-grade SLS capabilities. It features print volumes up to 130 x 180 x 330 mm, 4-zone heating architecture and 19 independent heating elements, print speeds up to 30 mm/h, a dedicated high-performance laser water chiller, and more. The BIANCO2 supports a wide range of application areas, including automotive and mobility parts, industrial and engineering, consumer products and wearables, flexible end-use products, and medical, dental, and orthotics components. Paired with Sinterit Studio Ultimate, the printer enables Full Open Parameters, with access to over 130 adjustable print settings, which allows users to experiment, optimize applications, and develop custom print profiles. The BIANCO2 Preorder Program is also open, so participants can test applications, validate materials and workflows with Sinterit experts, order sample prints from their own CAD models, and get a 15% discount with 50% pre-payment; standard price is €47,000.
“BIANCO2 – our new SLS printer with a CO₂ laser – is the essence of Sinterit’s mission: giving engineers, R&D teams, and manufacturers access to technology that previously required significantly greater investment, infrastructure, and compromise. The new printer isn’t designed to compete on technical specifications alone. We’re introducing a complete, practical tool for solving real-world problems: from faster material validation and more flexible prototyping to the production of short-run parts,” said Łukasz Adach, CFO at Sinterit.
“The CO₂ laser opens up new application possibilities for our customers while remaining true to what has defined Sinterit for years – professional, accessible, compact, and user-friendly SLS.”
ExxonMobil Lowers Costs & Lead Times with Meltio’s Wire-Laser Metal Deposition
Meltio shared how the ExxonMobil Baton Rouge refinery transitioned from subtractive manufacturing to its wire-laser metal deposition (LMD) technology. ExxonMobil’s anti-wicking device, which prevents oil from wicking up thermocouple wires into the instrument cabinet and contaminating system panels, had a lot of design and operational limitations. Meltio redesigned the component, including adding a 75° overhang limit, so it could achieve a solid, leak-proof barrier, and printed it on the industrial M600 DED system. They used Titanium 64, which is more lightweight and inexpensive than the previous material, and as an added bonus, it had already been “parameterized” to work with Meltio’s technology. The team chose non-planar printing, using the M600’s probing functions to deposit features right onto the curved surface so support structures weren’t needed. In the end, ExxonMobil achieved major operational advantages with this method, reducing the unit cost for the complete assembly by 42% and the production lead time by an astonishing 90%.
“This successful industrial use case highlights something very significant for the industry: metal additive manufacturing is no longer a laboratory technology, but a real industrial tool for critical sectors such as energy, petrochemicals, and defense. The ability to manufacture complex titanium components while reducing costs, lead times, and logistical dependence is a complete game-changer,” said José Luis Sánchez, the Managing Director at Meltio.
“Oil & Gas is one of the sectors where our technology adds the most value, especially given the need for parts resistant to corrosion, high temperatures, and extreme environments. Being able to produce or repair titanium components quickly and locally represents a huge strategic advantage for operators and major energy companies.”