At the NSF-supported Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity at MIT, researchers have developed a three-dimensional printing (3DP) process for the rapid and flexible production of parts and tools. 3DP works by building parts in layers from a computer (CAD) model. In the part shown here, a surface texture was defined in CAD and then mapped onto different solids. Such surface textures can be used to enhance heat transfer or create a prescribed surface roughness, among other things.

Image by: Emanuel M. Sachs/MIT