At the Weldex-2026 trade fair, the Additive Technologies Center of Rostec's United Engine Corporation unveiled an energy-saving mode for industrial 3D printers that trims production costs without changing part quality or process parameters. The approach targets a long-overlooked source of waste: electricity consumed while machines sit idle between print jobs.
How the system identifies waste
Engineers conducted a detailed audit of power consumption at every stage of the manufacturing cycle, from startup through printing to cooldown. The analysis revealed that machines kept drawing a steady amount of electricity during production pauses-intervals when no material was being deposited and no value was being added to the part. That standby draw, repeated across long industrial runs, adds up to a measurable cost that previously went unaddressed.
What the savings mode actually changes
Based on those measurements, the center configured a mode that automatically reduces power use specifically during those idle windows. Crucially, the printing parameters themselves-speed, temperature, layer settings and other variables that determine part quality-remain untouched. The system intervenes only when the machine is not actively building a part, so the change does not affect dimensional accuracy, material properties or the finished component's certification status.
Why energy costs matter for additive manufacturing
Industrial 3D printing, particularly with metal powders and high-temperature processes used in aerospace and engine components, consumes significant electricity over multi-hour or multi-day builds. Energy expenditure is one of the recurring costs that determines whether additive manufacturing remains competitive against traditional machining for mid-volume series production. Shaving consumption during non-productive intervals does not require new hardware or redesigned workflows, making it a relatively low-risk efficiency gain for manufacturers already operating these machines.
Limits of the announcement
Rostec has not published specific figures quantifying the percentage reduction in electricity costs or the total savings expected across a production run. No independent verification of the measurement methodology or resulting savings has been disclosed. The demonstration was presented at a trade fair setting, and broader adoption across the center's printer fleet, along with real-world cost data from sustained industrial use, has not yet been detailed publicly.