New "3D Printing" Lab Inaugurated at HTWK Leipzig

For many years, scientists at HTWK Leipzig have been advancing additive manufacturing through numerous research projects across various disciplines. In this manufacturing process, also known as 3D printing, three-dimensional objects are built up layer by layer from digital design data, rather than being cut out of a block or cast into shape. HTWK Leipzig recently introduced its new degree program, “3D Printing & Functional Surfaces,” which will begin in the winter semester of 2026/2027. A new research laboratory dedicated to this field was inaugurated yesterday.

The AM³ laboratory, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), forms the basis for research into fully integrated manufacturing processes using various materials—with applications in industries such as mechanical and plant engineering, printed electronics, and medical sensor technology and diagnostics. At the heart of the new research environment is a state-of-the-art bioprinter. “This printer opens up entirely new possibilities in functional 3D printing because it can combine multiple materials and processes simultaneously,” explains Ingo Reinhold, Professor of Coating Processes at HTWK Leipzig. Using various interchangeable print heads, different materials can be precisely placed within a single layer—a prerequisite for intelligent, multifunctional components. “We no longer just print geometries—we print functions,” says Reinhold, summarizing the innovation.

In addition to the bioprinter, the new AM³ lab houses two other large-scale research instruments funded by the DFG: First, a highly flexible, powder-based polymer 3D printer, which is extremely versatile due to the combination of powder and ink properties and is suitable for developing new material combinations and processes. The other is a powder shear cell, an analytical instrument with a climate chamber for the precise determination of the material properties of powders. Together, the three large-scale instruments form a continuous process chain from material development to the finished component.