After years of prominence as a prototyping method for designers and engineers, Additive Manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is growing as a means of manufacturing end-use parts at scale. Its potential across the automotive, aerospace, and medical sectors is also increasing.

According to the 3D Printing Trend Report 2022, the year 2021 was challenging for the industry because of the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are signs that the industry is recovering and is returning on track to meet pre-pandemic growth levels.

What Are the Top Trends?

The report, conducted in February 2022, includes insights from a survey of several hundred engineering businesses and systemic reviews of industry news and market analysis reports. Below is a summary of the top 3D printing trends in 2022:

Industry Growth

More engineers are using 3D printing than in previous years. 68% of respondents used 3D printing more in 2021 than in 2020. According to the report, the market grew by roughly 19.8% in 2021, with over $15.1 billion in revenue.

This is further strengthened by the year-on-year growth of 19.8% in 2021 compared to the projected market growth of 19%. The report also estimates that the market will increase by 21% this year.

Another clear sign of growth is that the AM industry's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is forecast to be 24% over the next five years. This is significantly higher than the 19% CAGR provided in the 2021 report.

Driving Sustainability

While the pandemic was a challenge for the AM industry, it also presented a unique opportunity. 3D printing was pivotal in producing PPEs after global supply chain problems limited the ability of conventional manufacturing to respond.

Due to its ability to improve supply chain disruptions in manufacturing and maximize material use during production, awareness of 3D printing is increasing and is expected to continue.

The potential of 3D printing for manufacturing at scale is also an advantage in driving sustainability in manufacturing. Many manufacturers consider environmental goals a pressing concern as consumers feel brands should take a stand on issues such as climate change.

The Era of Production

3D printing is transitioning from a prototyping tool to production technology for high-quality end-use parts. In 2021, nearly 30% of respondents expect to use this technology primarily for aesthetic or end-use part production, up from 21% in 2020.

The trend report suggests that 3D printing for production is a fast-growing trend. Among the respondents using the technology for aesthetic or production applications, 56% specialized in custom-made parts, while 36% used the technology for repeat production. 49% of survey respondents printed over ten parts in production runs, compared to 36% in 2021.

This clearly shows that production applications of 3D printing are a trend to look out for.

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