Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a 3D printing platform capable of producing a fully functional electric motor in a single integrated process. The breakthrough shows that a linear motor can be printed in roughly three hours and only requires magnetization after printing to operate. Even more striking, the material cost per motor comes in at about 50 cents, according to MIT News.
The team’s work, published in the journal Virtual and Physical Prototyping, centers on a multi-material, multi-process extrusion printer equipped with four distinct extruders: a filament extruder, a pellet extruder, an ink extruder, and a heater. This setup allows the system to deposit five different materials in a single build, including dielectric, electrically conductive, soft magnetic, hard magnetic, and flexible materials. Most conventional extrusion 3D printers can handle only one or two materials at a time, which limits their ability to fabricate complex electromechanical devices in one pass.
To achieve this, the researchers retrofitted an existing printer with custom hardware and controls. The result was a platform capable of fabricating a complete linear motor structure in about three hours. After a brief magnetization step, the motor was fully operational. According to MIT News, its performance matched or even exceeded comparable motors produced through traditional manufacturing methods.
The time savings are significant. Conventional prototyping of custom electric motors can take weeks or even months, especially when specialized tooling is required. By contrast, this system can move from design to functional hardware in a single day. That speed has implications not only for research and development but also for supply chain resilience.
The researchers highlighted the potential for producing replacement parts locally rather than waiting for global shipments that may be delayed by disruptions. In principle, engineers could download or design a schematic and fabricate complex electromechanical components onsite.
Dr. Luis Fernando Velásquez-García, one of the project’s senior authors, described the demonstration as a starting point rather than a final destination. He emphasized the broader opportunity to rethink manufacturing by enabling onsite hardware production in a single integrated step. While the linear motor is a compelling proof of concept, the team believes the same approach could transform how a wide range of electronic and mechanical systems are built in the future.
