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There’s lots of talk about a manufacturing renaissance. Some call it a resurgence, others a revolution, but the name doesn’t matter. There’s also been a lot of argument over the magnitude of the decline in manufacturing and how to measure it. Some say there wasn’t a decline at all. None of that matters, either.

Depending on who you listen to, 3D printing (or, as it’s more formally known, additive manufacturing) is either the biggest thing to hit the manufacturing world since the screw or the biggest tech fad since the fax machine. It’s actually a little of each.

DEARBORN, MI—Engineers at Ford Motor Co. have created virtual representations of employees— called “avatars”—to assess whether articulating arms and other ergonomic aids could help with assembly.

The value of standard work is clear: improved productivity and quality. With standard work, the process is well documented, its yield is high, its cycle time is rock solid, and everyone has been trained to do it. It worked well once, so we do it again and again.

The late novelist John Le Carré once said, “A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world.” As it turns out, what was good advice for spies is equally good for manufacturing and design engineers.

BERLIN—German engineering firm EDAG has produced a full-sized vehicle chassis using 3D printing.

MINNEAPOLIS—A mechanical spider, a back-support device, and a walking cane were among the winners of Stratasys Ltd.’s 10th annual Extreme Redesign 3D Printing Challenge.

We’re all aware of the consequences of paying too much.

Participating in the Olympics provides an athlete with a lifetime of memories.

By redesigning multipart components, such as fuel nozzles, ducting and valves, into one-piece components, engineers can reduce weight, simplify assembly and cut costs.