News – Elementum 3D

Elementum 3D Appoints Andrew Crickenberger as Chief Executive Officer to Accelerate Market Growth

educyber — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Accomplished aerospace and defense executive Andrew Crickenberger brings decades of leadership experience to drive Elementum 3D’s next phase of expansion.

Elementum 3D, a global leader in advanced metal additive manufacturing (AM) powder feedstocks, process development, and commercialization, today announced the appointment of Andrew Crickenberger as Chief Executive Officer, effective July 17, 2026. He succeeds Dr. Jacob Nuechterlein, founder of Elementum 3D, who will transition to Chief Strategy Officer while continuing to serve as Executive Chairman.

“I value the opportunity Elementum 3D has presented me and look forward to building on what its team has established within the additive manufacturing industry since 2014,” said Crickenberger. “My priority is to broaden Elementum 3D’s product portfolio, strengthen its position with existing customers, and accelerate entry into new markets. Elementum 3D has built an exceptional technology platform, and I’m excited to help lead the company’s next chapter of long-term growth and innovation.”

Crickenberger joins Elementum 3D with more than 30 years of executive leadership experience across the aerospace, defense, and advanced manufacturing sectors. Throughout his career, he has successfully led corporate strategy, business transformation, mergers and acquisitions, venture investments, international partnerships, and new business development for some of the industry’s most recognized organizations.

Most recently, Crickenberger served as Chief Growth Officer for NIOA Group, where he was responsible for corporate strategy and global business growth initiatives across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Prior to NIOA Group, he served as Vice President of Strategy for the $2.5 billion Aerojet Rocketdyne Segment of L3Harris Technologies. In that role, he directed strategic planning for advanced propulsion systems, including tactical and strategic solid rocket motors, hypersonic propulsion, missile control systems, and liquid rocket engines for space launch and in-space propulsion. He was also a member of the leadership team that successfully completed L3Harris’ $4.7 billion acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne and the Vice President of Strategy for the $7B Integrated Mission Systems Segment.

Earlier in his career, Crickenberger spent 25 years with Northrop Grumman, where he held several senior leadership positions, including Vice President of Strategy and Business Development for the Missile Products business. He also led the commercial business at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, served on the boards of international joint ventures in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and established strategic partnerships throughout Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America.

“As Elementum 3D enters its next phase of growth, I’m confident Andrew’s leadership experience and strategic vision make him the ideal person to guide the company forward,” Nuechterlein said. “Transitioning into the role of Chief Strategy Officer will allow me to focus on advancing our long-term technology roadmap. I’m incredibly proud of what this team has accomplished, and excited to see what we will achieve together under Andrew’s leadership.”

Crickenberger and Nuechterlein will work closely together over the coming weeks to ensure a seamless leadership transition as part of the company’s long-term succession plan.

Crickenberger holds a Master of Science in Engineering Mechanics and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Science and Mechanics from Virginia Tech.

Dr. Jacob Nuechterlein featured in BSV Podcast

educyber — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 17:41:38 +0000

Balerion Space Ventures Principal Emerson Garnett sits down with Jacob Nuechterlein, Founder & President of Elementum 3D, to discuss metal additive materials.

Click to watch the podcast

Astrobotic Tests Rocket Engine Made with Elementum 3D Materials

educyber — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 20:19:49 +0000

Astrobotic has completed a series of hot-fire tests for its Chakram rotating detonation rocket engine, with additive manufacturing (AM) playing an important role in how the engine was built. The company conducted the tests at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, where two prototypes ran across eight tests totaling 470 seconds, including a 300-second continuous burn that may be the longest of its kind to date. Of course, the performance stands out, but what really matters here is how the engine was built.

Purposeful porosity: A peek into PermiAM technology

educyber — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:12:53 +0000

Read the February 2026 issue of the Momentum Newsletter to learn more about the PeriAM technology.

PermiAM is a patented technology for laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing (AM) which enables printing of porous material with controllable permeability together with fully dense material.

Read the Article NOW >>

How Metal Additive Manufacturing Is Reshaping the Future of Aerospace and Defense Engineering

edusupport@educyber.com — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 23:42:03 +0000

Metal additive manufacturing is moving from prototypes to production in aerospace and defense. New testing methods and real flight data are finally giving engineers the confidence to certify these parts for critical applications.

3D Printing Companies Win Big in LIFT’s Advanced Materials Challenge

educyber — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 21:45:10 +0000

Last year, Detroit’s LIFT, the Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) that specializes in lightweighting, announced the Advanced Materials Challenge (AMC) Program, a project call seeking advanced materials solutions for components relevant to the Department of War (DoW) objectives and utilizing automation tools in the design process. LIFT has just announced three winners of the project call, and additive manufacturing (AM) is central to all three projects, aligning with the goals of the Advanced Metallic Production and Processing (AMPP) Center that the organization opened earlier this year.

How 3D printing is revolutionizing supercar manufacturing

educyber — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 16:36:40 +0000

On the bustling streets of Maranello, whispers surrounded the unveiling of Ferrari’s F80—a machine that didn’t just push the boundaries of speed, but redefined what supercars could be in the era of digital fabrication. Across the globe, titans like Bugatti, McLaren, Koenigsegg, and Porsche quietly observed, each chasing the same elusive goal: unmatched performance fused with peerless engineering. Now, thanks to 3D printing technologies, the rules of supercar manufacturing are being rewritten before our eyes. Click to read the full article

NASA’s GRX-810 Additive Manufacturing alloy wins Commercial Invention of the Year

educyber — Fri, 08 Aug 2025 20:11:52 +0000

NASA Glenn’s GRX-810 alloy has been named Commercial Invention of the Year by NASA’s Inventions and Contributions Board (ICB). The alloy has been adopted by both NASA and commercial users for additively manufactured parts required to withstand extreme conditions.

Elementum 3D’s Jacob Nuechterlein Finds Strength in Winning Combinations

educyber — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 20:09:59 +0000

The Stone Age. The Bronze Age. The Iron Age. Humanity’s early eras are named for the most advanced material of their day.

Full Article link: https://perspectives.vistage.com/summer-2025/in-the-mix/

Register NOW for the Webinar

educyber — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 21:55:32 +0000

Bridging the Gap: Scaling AM Government Contracting

Join us on Wednesday, July 30 at 11am ET for this highly anticipated 1-hour live Bridging the Gap webinar. Learn ways of success when engaging with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Our presenting experts will focus on approaches beyond initial engagement that work in the marketplace and government procurement along with real world successes.

It’s true that operating in the DoD market is daunting, especially so for “non-traditional” defense contractors, but the U.S. Defense market provides a substantial opportunity for the additive manufacturing (AM) community to increase its integration into defense applications. An interactive Q&A session will follow the presentations.

Key Scaling Insights:

Defense priorities/budgets/trends
Additive manufacturing in U.S. forces
Defense contracting processes
Business development within DoD
CMMC accreditation
U.S. Defense networking
Importance of clear and honest communication