Use of new printing applications accelerates industry growth

Using key industry data and based on a recent survey of over 700 engineers worldwide, Protolabs' annual 3D Printing Trend Report reveals a recognizably positive sentiment within the market, boosted in particular by small- and large-format 3D printing applications, and a growing potential for additive manufacturing at production level as the technology's applications increasingly move beyond prototyping.

Additive manufacturing: Potential for production

The results of the Protolabs study clearly show, among other things, that the central fields of application of additive manufacturing are increasingly evolving from prototyping to a variety of manufacturing applications. The annual report also shows that a steady production volume is being served by 3D printing: The number of respondents who stated that they had printed more than 10 parts in the comparative period rose from 36% in 2020 to 49% in 2021 and reached a new high of 76% in the current 2023 survey.

The attitude of design and engineering teams towards the interaction between additive processes and production is also changing: the factor "production volume and scalability" was cited by 45% of respondents as the main reason for preferring other manufacturing methods to 3D printing - a slight decrease from 47% in the previous year.

Innovative materials on the rise

Furthermore, the report shows that a comprehensive range of available materials and associated printing technologies will play a crucial role in shaping future use cases. For example, almost a third of respondents said that multi-material printing will have the biggest impact on 3D printing, followed by hybrid manufacturing, which combines additive manufacturing with traditional manufacturing and fabrication processes.

Industry experts also emphasize the importance of the materials available for 3D printing. For example, future market launches of highly specialized materials developed for 3D printing applications will offer even more room for innovation. Adam Hecht from 3DP design studio DIVE explained: "Many companies are currently developing material blends that are explicitly and exclusively adapted to additive manufacturing. The main focus here is on adapting the materials to the different fields of application - be it conventional thermoplastics that have been newly developed for 3D printing or resins that are not only suitable for prototyping, but also for very special applications with high temperatures and high elasticity."

AI as a driving force

The excitement around artificial intelligence can be felt in almost every industry and 3D printing is no exception. The Protolabs survey shows that although the great expectation of a complete revolution within the industry through AI has not yet been fully realized, intelligent 3D printers are getting smarter, which has a significant impact on the user experience. Almost a third of respondents cited automatic print optimization as the most important influencing factor of AI, followed by non-planar FDM printing through improved slicer software (25 percent). In addition, respondents believe that design for additive manufacturing will also benefit from AI innovations, for example in terms of topology optimization, multiphysics process simulation and AI-generated CAD.

As a partner for additive manufacturing, Protolabs works with customers all over the world. The company uses plastic and metal 3D printing technologies to meet customer requirements for prototypes and production parts. In 2023, Protolabs' 3D printing service generated over 77.5 million euros in revenue through its own manufacturing subsidiaries with a focus on rapid production and through manufacturing partners from the Protolabs Network.

Source: www.protolabs.com