MIT Builds Working Electric Motor for 50 Cents Using Multi-Material 3D Printing

A New Era for Electric Machine Manufacturing

Researchers at MIT have achieved something remarkable — they've developed a 3D printing platform capable of producing fully functional electric motors using multiple functional materials in a single process. The breakthrough could fundamentally change how we manufacture electric machines.

Five Materials, One Process

The custom-built system uses four specialized extruders that can handle different forms of printable materials, including electrically conductive and magnetic materials. The printer seamlessly switches between extruders as it builds devices layer by layer.

There were significant engineering challenges. We had to figure out how to marry together many different expressions of the same printing method — extrusion — seamlessly into one platform, says Luis Fernando Velquez-Garca, senior author of the study published in Virtual and Physical Prototyping.

50 Cents Per Motor

The research team used their platform to produce a fully functional electric linear motor in approximately three hours using five different materials. The motor required only one post-processing step — magnetizing the hard magnetic materials — to become fully operational. Material costs for each device are estimated at just 50 cents.

The 3D-printed linear motor demonstrated performance equal to or better than similar motors made through more complex manufacturing processes. Linear motors generate straight-line motion and are commonly used in robotics, optical systems, and conveyor applications.

On-Site Manufacturing Potential

The technology could potentially enable on-site manufacturing of electronic components for various industries, reducing reliance on distant suppliers and lengthy production delays. Imagine a future where you can 3D print a working motor on demand rather than waiting for shipping from a distant factory.

What is Next?

The researchers plan to integrate the magnetization process directly into the printing workflow and work toward fabricating rotary motors. They also aim to add more tools to enable production of more complex electronic devices through this single-step manufacturing approach.

This breakthrough represents a significant step toward truly functional additive manufacturing — where printed objects do not just look like the final product, they work like it too.