Trends 2023
The pandemic has accelerated trends that were already strongly underway: automation, and digitization, while also introducing more urgency toward some other ones—such as supply chain resiliency, on-demand short batch production, and re-localization—that were also in the works. If 2020 brought on new challenges and disruption, in 2021 AM companies began to address them. The year 2022 showed the first results of these efforts but also highlighted the challenges that many companies are facing in addressing a very complicated transition, with an increasingly unstable geopolitical global situation on the horizon. In 2023 many companies will have to “adapt or die”, while some may also die as they try to adapt.
AM companies are used to dealing with challenges. The global COVID pandemic, a dramatic crisis that crippled and destroyed entire businesses (not to speak of the terrible human toll) led to increasingly tense global relations with a very negative backlash on international business as well as many asymmetric market challenges. By enabling manufacturers to increase their flexibility, AM can play a role in stabilizing economic growth even in a world that is transitioning from full globalization to reshoring. And by enabling more automated production AM can help European and American economies address the shortages of qualified laborers. In this month’s AM Focus on AM Trends 2023, we will show how AM has proven it is capable of offering manufacturers a resilient solution to dealing with the challenges ahead rather than be a victim of their effects.
With all that said, the biggest challenge to most manufacturers is not lack of demand but supply chain disruption, either for raw materials or components. AM can help here by reducing material consumption and by supporting on-demand, local manufacturing of certain parts. However, many challenges still exist before AM is truly able to offer a production alternative for a sufficiently large number of applications. These range from material cost to the technology’s reliability and limited productivity. They will need to be addressed in 2023.
Scroll down for the latest AM Trends 2022 news [updating].
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FaithTech 3D Printing Report features orgs supporting humanitarian efforts
Emerging technologies like 3D Printing are transforming how companies serve people across the globe. FaithTech featured the work of numerous companies for their innovative approach to 3D Printing and its humanitarian support. Download the report from FaithTech’s website or by clicking on the image below. FaithTech’s founder James Kelly said,…
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Industry stakeholders (and a bot) predict key AM trends in 2023
Making predictions on the future of AM is not overly difficult. The industry is going to grow. It’s going to grow because it cannot be otherwise. It is still too young, too small, too fast, and its potential too large, not to grow. Understanding exactly which parts of the overly…
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What’s going on at Nano Dimension?
Nano Dimension Ltd. (Nasdaq: NNDM), the company known primarily for its Additively Manufactured Electronics (AME) technology, just sold new DragonFly IV systems to Northeastern University and another one to an undisclosed western global aerospace & defense contractor. This transaction demonstrates the success in supporting academic institutions as well as end…
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ChatGPT’s 3D printing technology trends for 2023
We recently tried our hand at using OpenAI’s ChatGPT to predict the 3D printing trends for 2023. Although it is very impressive, and certainly is a game-changer that will contribute to a multitude of different industries, it still has a long way to go in terms of being an accurate…
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Lithoz sales of LCM technology systems doubled in 2022
Lithoz GmbH, a world market and innovation leader in ceramic 3D printing, has confirmed that 2022 has been its most successful year ever, with double the order intake compared to 2021. As the end of the year approaches, Lithoz sales results indicate that 2022 marked a significant shift in innovators…
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Materialise expects increase in distributed manufacturing in 2023
Leading 3D printing service provider Materialise identified 4 key trends for 2023. The company expects that these evolutions of 3D printing and associated processes will hold the key to breaking down the barriers that are still associated with adopting AM technology as part of an industrial manufacturing process. Smart(er), distributed…
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The 3D printing events you won’t wanna miss in 2023
Like every year the 3dpbm team is preparing for the next season of additive manufacturing by identifying the most important 3D printing-related shows to attend in 2023. The past year saw a big return to in-person shows. Too big, in fact, with some 3D printing events overlapping, as was the…
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It is always the dawn of a new era in AM at Formnext
Clichés exist for a reason, we might as well use them: “new era” is often used as a mere marketing term and it may in fact be an “error” to always talk about new “eras” in any industry, including AM. “Eras” are defined as “long and distinct periods of history”,…
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What’s happening in the innovative world of AM?
Just as industry trends change in the additive manufacturing sphere, so do hiring trends. Economic factors, state of the industry and industry consolidation are among the factors that influence job creation in AM. Kensington Additive, a global search firm specializing in the 3D printing industry, is here to share its…
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The year of the binder
Metal binder jetting technology, now also known by the acronym MBJ, is, at the same time, the first and the newest opportunity for binder-based metal AM processes. Invented at MIT in 1993, the technology uses an inkjet printhead to apply binder to a bed of metal powder and form green…
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