Protolabs' 3D Printing Trend Report Use of new printing applications accelerates industrial growth

Related Vendors

PL DE Holding GmbH

FAULHABER Drive Systems

Wuxi InfiMotion Technology Co., Ltd.

A study by Protolabs, a global leader in technology-based digital manufacturing, offers a snapshot of the additive manufacturing industry, highlighting new trends such as the continuous increase in the use of new additive application methods within the industry. Based on key industry data and a survey of over 700 engineers worldwide, Protolabs' annual 3D printing trend report shows a recognizably positive sentiment in the market, boosted in particular by very small and large-scale 3D printing applications, and a growing potential for additive manufacturing at the production level as the applications of technology increasingly move beyond prototyping.

The results of Protolabs' study clearly show that the core application areas of additive manufacturing are increasingly evolving from prototyping to a variety of manufacturing applications. The annual report also reveals that a steady production volume is being catered for by 3D printing: the number of respondents who reported having printed more than 10 parts in the comparison period increased from 36 percent in 2020 to 49 percent in 2021, and reached a new high of 76 percent in the 2023 survey.

The mindset is also changing among design and engineering teams towards the interplay between additive processes and production: 45% of respondents cited "production volume and scaling opportunities" as the main reason for preferring other manufacturing methods over 3D printing—a slight decrease from 47% in the previous year.

Innovative materials on the rise

In addition, the report shows that a comprehensive selection of available materials and associated printing technologies will play a crucial role in shaping future use cases. Nearly a third of respondents indicated that multimaterial printing will have the greatest impact on 3D printing, followed by hybrid manufacturing, which combines additive manufacturing with traditional manufacturing and production processes.

Industry experts also underscore 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 the 3DP design studio DIVE explained: "Currently, many companies are developing material mixes that are explicitly and exclusively adapted to additive manufacturing. A major focus 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 suitable not only for prototype construction, but also for very special applications with high temperatures and high elasticity."

AI as a driving force

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

(new)