New York State extends its long-term partnership with RIT’s AMPrint Center to support breakthroughs in 3D-printing innovation and industry growth

Rochester, New York – In a powerful vote of confidence, the state of New York has officially renewed its support for Rochester Institute of Technology’s AMPrint Center, greenlighting a fresh 10-year contract to propel forward the development of cutting-edge 3D-printing technology. The decision reaffirms New York’s long-term investment in becoming a national and global hub for additive manufacturing.

The renewed contract will see funding disbursed in two installments of five years each. The first $5 million tranche will begin fueling research and development initiatives in the current fiscal year, enabling AMPrint to expand its ongoing mission to evolve next-generation 3D-printing processes, materials, and commercial applications.

Founded in 2015, the Additive Manufacturing and Multifunctional Printing (AMPrint) Center has played a transformative role in advancing how products are designed, prototyped, and manufactured in the state and beyond. Its inception was part of a broader strategy to revitalize New York’s legacy printing industry by pivoting toward futuristic, high-tech frontiers.

“The AMPrint Center is helping to breathe new life into this region’s world-renowned printing industry by applying its expertise to the rapidly growing 3D-printing universe,” said Denis Cormier, the center’s director and the Earl W. Brinkman Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering in RIT’s Kate Gleason College of Engineering.

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That vision appears to be bearing fruit. Over the last decade, the AMPrint Center has served as a launchpad for a number of startup companies while also providing technical support and training to established firms eager to integrate 3D-printing into their manufacturing processes. From carbon fiber components to molten metal printing, the Center is at the forefront of redefining how parts are created in sectors like aerospace, electronics, and even dental prosthetics.

The global 3D-printing industry itself has witnessed exponential growth during AMPrint’s lifetime, leaping from a $5.1 billion industry in 2015 to nearly $22 billion in 2024, according to data from Wohlers Associates. AMPrint’s ongoing contributions are seen as essential for helping regional and national companies keep pace with that global expansion.

Among its most high-profile partners is Impossible Objects, a 3D printer manufacturer based in Rochester that is pioneering carbon fiber composite printing. The company recently installed its CBAM-25 machine—touted as the world’s fastest carbon fiber 3D printer—at the AMPrint Center. The high-speed printer is now being put to work on multiple funded projects.

“There’s an acute need for high-speed 3D printers that can produce very strong, very light weight components for drones and other applications,” said Cormier.

The CBAM-25 represents a dramatic leap forward in additive manufacturing, combining speed, strength, and scalability in ways few other machines have managed. It utilizes a process akin to a digital press, but instead of paper, it works with carbon fiber to create tough, lightweight parts at unprecedented speeds.

“This is a ground-breaking piece of industrial manufacturing equipment,” Cormier emphasized. “If you visualize a digital printing press making magazines or newspapers, the paper is just flying through the machine. Now translate that into 3D printing; that is what Impossible Objects has done. They are using carbon fiber instead of paper. There isn’t any 3D-printing technology that touches this machine’s print speed, while simultaneously making such high strength parts.”

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Speed is only part of the equation. The AMPrint Center is also pushing boundaries in metal additive manufacturing. Cormier and his team are developing a new printer that behaves like a traditional inkjet—except its “ink” is molten metal. This revolutionary technology has attracted $3 million in support from the National Science Foundation through a Future Manufacturing Research grant, and it’s inching closer to real-world deployment.

“I’m biased of course, but I believe that this metal 3D-printing technology has the potential to transform the way many metal parts are made,” said Cormier. “Instead of mass-producing parts that are shipped halfway across the world for storage in huge warehouses, it will be possible to locally print metal parts on-demand just before they are needed.”

This kind of innovation doesn’t just stay within the walls of the lab. The AMPrint Center also functions as a hands-on learning ground for students across RIT. From introductory courses to specialized classes in metal and composite printing, students gain real-world experience with machines that are shaping the future of manufacturing. Undergraduate and graduate students alike are engaged in coursework, research, and internships alongside corporate partners, ensuring the next generation of engineers is well-equipped to carry forward this technological momentum.

Outside the classroom, the center continues to serve as a valuable resource for companies looking to test prototypes or conduct feasibility studies before moving to full-scale production. Its bank of industrial-grade 3D printers and advanced testing tools helps minimize risk for small and medium-sized manufacturers exploring additive processes.

The AMPrint team is also breaking new ground through partnerships with other academic institutions. One collaboration with Alfred University aims to perfect a method of 3D-printing glass structures capable of withstanding extreme thermal conditions. The potential applications range from aerospace components to laboratory equipment, and it could significantly reduce breakage and failure rates in devices exposed to drastic temperature swings.

Another project, equally intriguing, involves the development of a printer that can produce full-color, custom-made dentures. While the concept might sound niche, it’s part of a broader trend in using 3D printing for personalized medical and dental solutions—markets that are expected to grow rapidly in the coming years.

With its new contract secured, AMPrint is poised to keep expanding its influence across multiple sectors. And for New York state, this long-term investment represents more than just a bet on technology—it’s a strategy to remain competitive in an era where manufacturing is evolving at lightning speed.

By serving as both an incubator and a bridge between academia and industry, the AMPrint Center is demonstrating how regional strengths can be repurposed for the digital age. It’s also helping ensure that the benefits of additive manufacturing—cost reduction, customization, and supply chain resilience—are accessible to a wide range of businesses, from startups to established industrial players.

As Cormier put it, “The AMPrint Center is not just advancing technology; it’s actively changing how we think about making things.”