The 3D Presidency: Barack Obama and the Hopeful Myths of 3D Printing

In last week's State of the Union address, Barack Obama asked Congress to support a $1 billion plan to support research into 3D printing in hopes that it will lead to a return in US manufacturing jobs. Obama cited work at the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute (NAMII), a project funded in part by $30 million from the Department of Defense, which claims to have used 3D printing to save the military more than $500 million since opening, creating titanium jet fighter parts and other industrial components at a lower price than traditional manufacturing.