Yes, additive manufacturing – or 3D printing – is a viable method to produce the necessary metamaterial geometry. It also offers a number of advantages over traditional approaches:
- Metamaterial composite parts can be manufactured at the point and time of need, reducing reliance on supply chain logistics.
- 3D printing allows for relatively low-cost manufacturing, with the costs of materials and equipment becoming increasingly more affordable.
- Designs for 3D printed products can easily be improved and upgraded for new materials, making them future proof.
- By additively manufacturing metamaterial composites, designs can quickly be iterated, tested, and validated, making for quicker development cycles.
