The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has developed a multimaterial 3D-printing platform that makes it possible to create complete electromechanical devices in a single step. In a demonstration project, the team printed an electric linear motor in three hours at a material cost of about 50 cents.
The key difference of the technology is the ability to use several types of materials at the same time: conductive, magnetic, and insulating. To do this, the researchers built a system with four extruders, including pressure-fed conductive ink. The printing process requires high precision: even small deviations can affect whether the device works.
After printing, the motor needed only one additional operation — magnetization. Its performance was comparable to that of conventional alternatives, which are usually made through complex assembly of many components.
For the first time in a single 3D-printing process, electrical, magnetic, and mechanical components were combined — meaning that not just individual parts, but complete working devices can be created. This points to a shift from printing spare parts to printing functional machines, making it possible to produce devices on site without complex supply chains. In the future, this could make it possible to repair equipment in isolation quickly and create custom solutions for specific tasks in just a few hours.
