Scott Niner, president and owner of Dangling Carrot Creative (DCC), has kept his eye on 3D printing for years. The company calls itself a one-stop shop for the entertainment industry – a business that, according to Niner, “works at the speed of light.” So, technology that could churn out prop guns, statues, and even set designs with a few pushes of a button would really be useful. Until recently, however, the technology available didn’t really meet Niner’s standards: a balance of speed, size, and versatility. The shop recently brought in a Massivit 3D printer and has spent the past month or so tinkering and learning about...

When Ana Cunningham came on board at Creative Matters nearly two decades ago, every bit of the high-end floor-covering design firm’s work was hand-painted. The VP’s first order of business was to move the company into the digital space, teaching the artists to design in Illustrator and Photoshop, working with textile mills to nail down a process, learning how to match colors, and more. The transition was gradual, spanning a few years, but as the firm settled in, the improvement in turnaround time at every step of the process was dramatic. About five years ago, the company added wallcovering design...