Jason Rolland - Carbon Inc; Amazing 3d printing re-imagining how we design and manufacture products

Описание: Episode Notes
About the Guest
Jason Rolland is the CEO of Carbon Inc, a leading additive manufacturing company focused on production-grade 3D printing. Trained as a polymer chemist, Jason completed his PhD at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill under Carbon co-founder Joe DeSimone, where he developed a deep interest in translating materials science into real-world impact. His career sits at the intersection of chemistry, entrepreneurship, and advanced manufacturing, with a particular focus on making 3D printing viable for end-use products at scale. At Carbon, he has helped shift the industry from “rapid prototyping” to true digital manufacturing.

Episode Summary
In this episode of Shape the System, host Vincent Turner sits down with Jason Rolland to unpack how additive manufacturing—specifically polymer-based 3D printing—is reshaping the way physical products are designed, made, and distributed. Rather than framing 3D printing as a novelty or prototyping tool, the conversation explores its emergence as a genuine manufacturing alternative to injection moulding and foams.

Jason walks through the limitations of traditional manufacturing, particularly where cost efficiency comes at the expense of performance, customisation, and waste. Using examples from footwear, helmets, bike saddles, wheelchair cushions, and dental products, he explains how lattice geometries and advanced elastomers unlock new performance characteristics—such as targeted cushioning, breathability, and durability—that simply aren’t possible with conventional methods.

The discussion also touches on broader system-level implications: on-demand production, reduced tooling, faster iteration cycles, and more localised manufacturing. From Adidas’ fully 3D-printed Climacool shoe to millions of custom dental parts produced each month, the episode highlights where the economics already work—and where they’re heading next.

Key Takeaways
3D printing is moving from prototyping into true manufacturing, producing end-use parts that match or outperform traditional materials.

Lattice structures enable performance gains—variable stiffness, breathability, and impact protection—that foams and injection-moulded parts can’t achieve.

Customisation at scale is already real in sectors like dentistry, with millions of unique parts produced every month.

Digital manufacturing reduces reliance on tooling, enabling faster design iteration and lower inventory risk.

The biggest barriers to adoption today are awareness and application development speed, not material performance.

Notable Quotes
“It’s no longer okay for something to be cool just because it’s 3D printed. It actually has to serve function and do something better.” — Jason Rolland

“Nobody actually cares about all the cool tech that’s behind it. They care about the part that comes out of the printer.” — Jason Rolland

“You can intrinsically have stiffer regions and softer regions within the same part just by changing the geometry.” — Jason Rolland

“The success of the year isn’t how many shoes you sell—it’s how much inventory you have left over.” — Jason Rolland

“There’s almost no industry that can’t benefit from what we’re doing.” — Jason Rolland

Resources
Carbon Inc — https://carbon3d.com/?utm_source=shap...

Shape the System is an independent podcast with support from KPMG High Growth Ventures




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