Impossible Objects has made a groundbreaking announcement, revealing their revolutionary CBAM 25 3D printer, capable of printing fifteen times faster than the closest competitor. Set to be unveiled at the RAPID + TCT tradeshow in Chicago next month, this innovative 3D printer will have a significant impact on the world of mass production and industrial applications.
Impossible objects CBAM Slice
The CBAM 25 will become commercially available in early 2024, promising to bring 3D printing into the realm of volume manufacturing. By breaking the speed barrier, the CBAM 25 will deliver advanced materials with superior mechanical properties and tolerances, providing manufacturers with an unprecedented advantage over existing technologies.
Robert Swartz, Founder and Chairman of the Board at Impossible Objects, stated, “The CBAM 25 is the world’s fastest printer, and we are entering a new era of 3D printing with nearly unlimited material options at the speed of true mass production. This is a Moore’s law moment for 3D printing, and this is just the first step.”
The CBAM 25 utilizes high-performance composite materials, enabling engineers to design stronger, lighter, and more durable parts. Notably, the Carbon Fiber PEEK material set offers high chemical and temperature resistance and mechanical properties superior to most engineering plastics. Carbon Fiber PEEK parts are a suitable alternative for aluminum, tooling, spares, repairs, and end-use parts.
Impossible objects CBAM Layer
Impossible Objects is currently producing and selling parts in untapped 3D markets such as electronic tooling and for a broad range of applications, including aerospace, defense, and transportation industries. It is also replacing CNC machining with greater geometric freedom.
Steve Hoover, Impossible Objects’ CEO, emphasizes the importance of production speed with the new CBAM 25, stating, “With a fifteen times speed improvement over existing 3D printers, our new CBAM 25 completes the transition of 3D printing from its roots in prototyping to the heartland of manufacturing.”
Impossible objects CBAM Machine
The CBAM 25 is indeed a giant leap forward, pushing 3D printing into volume manufacturing, and opening new opportunities for industries to reshape and rethink their manufacturing processes.
The launch of the CBAM 25 marks a turning point for 3D printing, demonstrating the potential for exponential advancements in speed, material capabilities, and applications. For readers interested in learning more about this revolutionary technology, we recommend attending the RAPID + TCT tradeshow in Chicago, where the CBAM 25 will be unveiled. Additionally, stay informed on the latest developments in the 3D printing industry by following Impossible Objects and other leading companies.
By embracing the CBAM 25 and its potential, businesses can optimize their manufacturing processes, reduce costs, and create innovative products that push the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of 3D printing.
The digital thread in additive manufacturing is the controlled connection between product definition, manufacturing configuration, process data, inspection evidence and final part identity. Its purpose is not to collect every available signal. It is to preserve enough trusted information to reproduce, investigate and release the part.
A useful digital thread answers four questions: What was authorized? What was actually used? What happened during production? What evidence supports acceptance?
Why additive manufacturing needs a strong digital thread
AM relies on a dense chain of digital and physical transformations. A CAD model is converted into manufacturing geometry, oriented, supported, nested, sliced and translated into machine instructions. Feedstock, machine condition, software, parameters, heat treatment, machining and inspection then determine the final hardware.
If these relationships are not controlled, two parts with the same nominal drawing can be produced through materially different routes. That undermines repeatability, root-cause analysis, supplier transfer and qualification.
Digital thread, digital twin and data package are not the same
Concept
Practical meaning in AM
Primary purpose
Digital thread
Traceable information flow across design, manufacturing, inspection and service
Configuration continuity and provenance
Digital twin
A digital representation connected to a physical asset or process through data exchange
Monitoring, prediction, simulation or decision support
AM data package
A defined set of information associated with a specific part or manufacturing workflow
Communication, acceptance, retention and auditability
Machine log
Equipment-generated operational and event records
Process traceability and troubleshooting
Build file
Manufacturing representation used to execute a specific build
Machine execution; not by itself a complete production record
A company can have a digital thread without a sophisticated real-time digital twin. It can also have large volumes of machine data without having a trustworthy digital thread.
The core objects that must be connected
1. Product definition
Authoritative CAD model and drawing
Part number, revision and effectivity
Material and process specifications
Critical characteristics and acceptance criteria
Approved deviations, concessions and repairs
2. Manufacturing definition
Orientation, support and nesting configuration
Manufacturing geometry and file format
Machine model and machine identity
Software, slicer and parameter-set versions
Build plate, substrate or fixture definition
Coupon and witness-specimen layout
3. Material genealogy
Powder, wire, resin or bound-feedstock lot
Supplier certificate and incoming inspection
Storage, handling and environmental history
Powder reuse, blending, sieving and refresh history
Contamination or disposition records
4. Process execution
Build start and completion information
Machine state, alarms and operator interventions
Atmosphere, temperature and other controlled conditions
Layer images, recoater events or melt-pool data where required
Maintenance and calibration status
Nonconformance and interruption records
5. Post-processing history
Stress relief, heat treatment and HIP cycles
Debinding and sintering records
Build-plate and support-removal route
Machining programs, fixtures and completed operations
Surface finishing, coating and cleaning
Subcontractor certificates and process records
6. Inspection and acceptance
Dimensional results and inspection-program revision
NDT equipment, technique and operator identity
Material test results and specimen location
Cleanliness, flow or functional-test results
Disposition and final release authorization
Link between the physical serial number and digital record
The authoritative-source problem
AM workflows often create multiple copies of geometry and parameters across PLM, CAD, build-preparation software, local workstations and machine controllers. A valid digital thread must identify which object is authoritative and which copies are derived.
Useful controls include:
Unique identifiers and revision status
Checksum or cryptographic hash for critical files
Role-based approval and electronic signature
Controlled transfer from engineering to manufacturing
Read-only released records
Documented regeneration rules when a derived file changes
Saving a file with “final” in its name is not configuration control.
Machine data: collect what supports a decision
Modern AM machines can generate large amounts of data. Storage volume is not the same as traceability value. Before collecting a signal, define:
Which failure mode or quality characteristic it represents
How the sensor is calibrated and time-synchronized
How the data is linked to machine, build, layer and part location
Which limits, alerts or analysis methods are approved
How long the data must be retained
Who can modify, interpret and disposition the record
ISO/ASTM 52953:2025 establishes minimum requirements for registering multimodal monitoring and quality-control data. The emerging direction is toward structured, referenceable data rather than isolated screenshots and proprietary reports.
The 2026 data-package standard
ISO/ASTM 52951:2026 provides a framework for developing and using AM part data packages from design through acceptance. It is based primarily on PBF-LB/M, but its workflow principles can inform other AM processes.
The practical significance is that organizations can define data-package depth by part class, customer need and regulatory risk. A prototype bracket should not require the same evidence as a flight-critical component, but both should have a clear minimum record.
Cybersecurity and intellectual property
The digital thread can expose design IP, process know-how and evidence used for certification. Security should be designed into the workflow rather than added after deployment.
Apply least-privilege access and strong identity management.
Separate development, production and supplier environments where appropriate.
Encrypt sensitive data in transit and at rest.
Record file transfers, approvals and administrative actions.
Control removable media and machine-network interfaces.
Validate backup, recovery and long-term readability.
Define which supplier data must be shared and which can remain protected.
Blockchain is not a prerequisite for trustworthy AM traceability. In most factories, disciplined configuration management, access control, audit logs and signed records create more immediate value.
Interoperability remains a bottleneck
AM data can pass through CAD, PLM, MES, QMS, build-preparation tools, machine software, laboratory systems and supplier portals. Proprietary formats and inconsistent naming make it difficult to connect the record.
Organizations should define stable identifiers, metadata and interfaces even when full automation is not possible. A controlled manual link is better than an invisible automated transformation that cannot be audited.
A practical minimum viable digital thread
Give every part, build and material lot a unique identifier.
Control the released product definition and manufacturing revision.
Link orientation, support, nesting, machine and parameter configuration.
Record feedstock genealogy and equipment readiness.
Capture alarms, deviations and operator interventions.
Link post-processing records to the serial number or production batch.
Store inspection results with technique and acceptance criteria.
Protect approved records from uncontrolled modification.
Define retention, backup and migration rules.
Test whether the organization can reconstruct the complete history of a released part.
Common failure modes
Machine files stored only on a local workstation
Parameters renamed without version or approval history
Powder lots blended without genealogy
Inspection reports disconnected from the physical part identity
Large monitoring-data archives with no validated interpretation
Supplier records delivered as unsearchable PDFs with ambiguous references
Software updates applied without configuration review
Digital records that cannot be opened years later
Conclusion
The AM digital thread is a quality and configuration system, not a marketing layer. Its value comes from connecting authorized design, actual manufacturing conditions and acceptance evidence to a specific physical part. Start with traceability and decision needs, then add automation, analytics and digital-twin capability where they solve a defined problem.
