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Tech Talk: 3D Printing

The global 3D printing market size was valued at $15.10 billion in 2021 and is projected to grow from $18.33 billion in 2022 to $98.31 billion by 2032, a CAGR of 18.92%. 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a process of creating three-dimensional physical objects from a digital design file. Unlike traditional manufacturing methods that involve subtracting material (e.g. cutting, drilling) or shaping material through molds, 3D printing builds objects layer by layer, adding material in a sequential manner. The growth of the 3D printing market is being driven by several factors, including the increasing demand for customized products, the decreasing cost of 3D printers, the increasing adoption of 3D printing in the manufacturing industry, and the increasing adoption of 3D printing in the healthcare industry. 3D printing is being used to create medical devices, such as prosthetics and implants. 3D printing is maturing and progressing, and it is expected to become a key element of healthcare treatment in the future. A few trends in 3D for 2023 include automated assembly, coding digital information into 3D printed textures, sustainable production, and demand for students who think in 3D. There are various 3D printing technologies available, each with its own advantages and applications. Some common techniques include fused deposition modeling (FDM)/fused filament fabrication (FFF), stereolithography (SLA), selective laser sintering (SLS), and selective laser melting (SLM)/direct metal laser sintering (DMLS). 3D printing machines and services are provided by a variety of companies from multi-billion-dollar companies, such as HP (HP) and GE (GE), to private companies, such as ExOne. Other vendors include Siemens AG (SIEGY), 3D Systems Corp. (DDD), Stratasys Ltd. (SSYS), Proto Labs Inc. (PRLB), Desktop Metal Inc. (DM), Materialise NV (MTLS), SLM Solutions Group AG (SLGRF), and Markforged Holding Corp. (MKFG).