3D printing industry continues to move towards sustainable development

In November 2022, the Antarctic bear learned that Sculpteo, a 3D printing digital manufacturing expert, released the 8th edition of the report, 3D Printing Status: 2022. Like the previous seven reports, this document is an annual international research report that outlines the development of additive manufacturing industry. Based on the content of this report, manufacturers can identify new trends and improve their business strategies. This year, the report paid special attention to sustainability. According to the report, most executives, engineers or designers said that 3D printing technology reduced the impact of the manufacturing process on the environment.

According to the report, 41% of manufacturers believe that additive manufacturing will help companies achieve their sustainable development goals. 61% of manufacturers believe that this technology enables them to produce the right amount of materials to meet demand, thus avoiding the need for large resources. In the traditional material reduction technology, more raw materials are often needed, which is not conducive to the sustainable process. 3D printing can solve this problem and help manufacturers carry out sustainable activities, because they can obtain the exact amount of materials needed to manufacture products.

△ 3D printing can achieve better resource management (picture source: Mecalux)
Status quo of 3D printing in 2022: is it a promising sustainable technology?
The research of Sculpteo shows that additive manufacturing is also a promising design method. 84% are optimistic about the future potential of this technology. 58% of manufacturers believe that it will play an important role in manufacturing, business and personal life. Alexandre d'Orsetti, CEO of Sculpteo, said: "The future of 3D printing is full of hope, and I am proud to contribute to the future of this technology."

3D printing can reduce the impact of manufacturers on the environment, mainly because of its reliability. 61% of respondents said that manufacturing on demand is the reliability and sustainability advantage of 3D printing. 59% of manufacturers want to benefit from more sustainable materials. This demand shows that products from biological sources are increasingly popular in the additive manufacturing market. To sum up, three aspects of 3D printing that need to be improved in terms of reliability and sustainability are:

● More recycling options for printed objects
● More development of sustainable materials
● Progress of SLS and other technologies in powder reuse
Limitations of 3D printing

Although 3D printing can bring many benefits to the industry, the technology still has some disadvantages, especially in terms of cost. One third of the companies surveyed believe that the high budget is the main limitation of additive manufacturing, but this statistic still accounts for only a small part. The majority of respondents believe that choosing more sustainable 3D printing technology can better manage materials. This study shows that 63% of manufacturers are looking for ways to recycle 3D printing components. Resource management is still an area that needs to be improved in additive manufacturing industry.

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Source: Polar Bear 3D Printing Network