Is 3D Printing Still a Valid Technology?
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Is 3D Printing Still a Valid Technology?

Recently, we’ve seen a surge of articles and discussions suggesting the end of an era for 3D printing, claiming that the technology hasn’t delivered on its promises. I started in this field a few years ago, while others have been involved for much longer. But looking at where this technology was just 2 or 4 years ago, an where is it today, one has to wonder what interests are driving this current wave of pessimism.

It’s true that there’s been a contraction in business investment across various levels, including in 3D printing hardware, which has traditionally been the dominant voice in this market. On the other hand, there’s a lot of buzz lately about Bambu Labs and the patent infringement lawsuit filed by Stratasys. What’s striking is that during this supposed “end of the 3D printing era,” a startup emerged with a package of real innovations and experienced unprecedented growth in the industry, surpassing market leaders who had been asleep for the past half-decade. Some of these companies, whose recent innovations either focused on locking customers into proprietary software and materials at exorbitant costs or involved selling hobby-grade machines as 'industrial' at triple the price by simply modifying their design and adding unnecessary weight with metal plating.

The Hype Cycle of 3D Printing

Like many innovations, 3D printing went through a classic hype cycle. It began with the technology trigger phase, where early breakthroughs captured the imagination of the public and media. This was followed by the peak of inflated expectations, where 3D printing was expected to transform every aspect of manufacturing and consumer products.

However, as the technology's limitations became more apparent—such as slower production times, limited material choices, and the need for technical expertise—the market entered the trough of disillusionment.

What 3D Printing Is Not

3D printing is not a solution or a panacea for everything. In the future, we won’t be mass-producing entire ships, pizzas, or engines with 3D printing. Not even 3D printers will print themselves. Those who anticipated these things either wanted to inflate the hype or didn’t understand production processes. Conventional manufacturing processes are infinitely more productive than 3D printing for a fundamental reason: they have been designed and developed to be the fastest and most cost-effective within their area of specialization.

Take a common object like a chair, for example. We’ve seen them printed before. How much does a plastic chair weigh? Let’s say 5kg. At best, 5kg printed in 3D today would have a retail value of between €500 and €1000, not including other associated costs or resale margins. Do we want to market garden chairs at €1500-2000 each? Good luck with that!

The “We’ll Do It Ourselves In-House” Factor: A Costly Misstep in 3D Printing Adoption

In the pursuit of innovation, many companies have adopted a “we’ll do it ourselves in-house” approach when it comes to 3D printing. This mindset often leads to a one-time purchase of early-stage hardware, usually accompanied by grand promises of revolutionizing their production processes. Unfortunately, these promises rarely materialize.

The reality for many of these companies has been far less exciting:

  • Early-Stage Hardware: They often invest in 3D printers that are still in the developmental phase, meaning the technology is not fully matured. As a result, these machines often fail to deliver the expected performance, leading to frustration.
  • High Costs and Maintenance: Maintaining these early-stage machines can be both expensive and time-consuming. The costs of upkeep, combined with the steep learning curve, often outweigh the benefits, making the investment feel more like a burden than a breakthrough.
  • Rapid Obsolescence: Technology evolves quickly, and these early purchases become obsolete faster than anticipated. What was once seen as cutting-edge becomes outdated as newer, more advanced models hit the market.

The result? Many companies find themselves anchored in the past, stuck with equipment that they no longer use effectively. You’ll often hear, “3D printing? We’ve used it twice in the last year.” And honestly, it's no surprise! The initial excitement is replaced by disillusionment as the technology fails to meet expectations, largely because the approach to adopting it was flawed from the start.

What 3D Printing Is: A Mature and Specialized Market

3D printing is a niche technology that finds valuable applications in areas such as rapid prototyping of physical components to accelerate the design process, or the production of functional parts for use in industries like electronics, robotics, and industrial automation. It’s a powerful tool for developing products and bringing custom elements to market or into the production line at a speed and cost that would be impossible with any other available manufacturing method. Anyone who thinks 3D printing will disappear from applications where it makes sense is in for a long wait.

And What About the Hobbyist Market?

The hobbyist sector has always been relevant, falling into what we might call “toys for big kids.” The reality is that 3D printing has fascinated many hobbyists from the start, and this is a community that continues to grow. It has also been boosted by the recent emergence of a wave of Chinese manufacturers who have reduced costs, making the technology more accessible.

The Future of 3D Printing

I don’t have a crystal ball, and I’m not keen on making predictions, but based on what I’ve seen in recent years, I dare say a few things might happen:

  • Natural Selection: There will be a reduction in the variety of offerings in a market saturated with suppliers, inflated for years by public and private funding, with insufficient demand.
  • China vs. the West: The U.S. and Europe have lost and will continue to lose exclusive dominance of this market, likely irreversibly.
  • Disruption: In a market with fierce competition, you can choose different strategies: buy out competitors, destroy competitors, or innovate. Of the three, the only one that has proven truly profitable and future-proof is to develop disruptive innovations and let others follow. No matter what the 3D printing pessimists say, if a disruptor comes to market again and gets the pricing strategy right, they will sell their product like hotcakes.

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#3DPrinting #Innovation #Manufacturing #Tech #AdditiveManufacturing #IndustryTrends

 

David Ramirez

3D Printing Metal Parts For High-Performance Applications

3mo

Great article Santiago. AM is not going anywhere. It's about using the tool the way it's intended to be used to solve problems where AM actually adds value.

The false promises around 3D printing have definitely hurt its reputation. It’s good to see a realistic take.

Jörg Dennis Krüger

300% ROI with A/B testing guaranteed | The Conversion Hacker® | Award-winning ecommerce expert

3mo

I’m curious about how the market will shift with more disruptive innovations. Great insights!

Sis Timberg

Women's health coach

3mo

This is exactly what I’ve been thinking! The technology has evolved so much in recent years

Ruchi Rathor

🚀 FinTech Innovator | White Label Payment Systems | Cross Border Payments | Payment Orchestration | 🎤 TEDx Speaker | Women Empowerment | Influencer Leadership

3mo

Interesting perspective! I hadn’t considered how the hype cycle impacted public perception of 3D printing.

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