Engineering at Scale: What Really Matters | Matt Denton

When people talk about 3D printing, the conversation often revolves around machines, materials, or speed.Matt Denton approaches it differently.

Matt is an engineer and creator best known for building massive machines, LEGO-inspired projects, and movie props, including work on Star Wars. But in this conversation, the focus isn’t scale for the sake of scale. It’s the mindset behind it.

In this episode of Between Layers, we talk about:
How Matt got into 3D printing and why it took time to truly click
How an engineering background shapes the way he designs and builds
What changes when projects grow larger, heavier, and more complex
Why CAD and planning matter more than any specific machine
The trade-offs between strength, weight, and performance at scale
And why the project he’s proudest of wasn’t the biggest, but the one that helped others create

This isn’t a deep dive into tools or specs. It’s a conversation about process, long-term thinking, and what it means to engineer with intention.

Between Layers is a series by 3Dnatives, where we sit down with creators, engineers, and innovators to explore how 3D printing fits into their broader creative process.

Guest: Matt Denton
YouTube:    / @mattdenton  
Instagram:   / mantis.robot  

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