Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is a rapidly growing trend in the manufacturing world. The benefits of additive manufacturing are very attractive, ranging from the ease of implementing design changes to eliminating the need for fasteners and assembly.

When we create products for the natural world, engineers and heat treaters tend to focus on making components that are stiff, strong and resistant to applied forces. Nature, on the other hand, chooses a different path, opting in general for objects that are highly flexible.