3D Printing Booms as Result Of COVID-19 and Shifting Consumer Demand, New Report Finds

Feb 8, 2022 – SOMERVILLE, MA - Formlabs, the leading 3D printing company, today released its 2022 3D Printing Applications Report detailing how 3D printing adoption and use cases have evolved over the past two years. Since March 2020, 3D printing adoption rates have skyrocketed as consumer behavior and demands shift, with 4 in 10 respondents adding 3D printing into their workflows, not just for prototyping, but also for end use production. In fact, three in five recent adopters frequently or always use 3DP for end use applications in an effort to solve supply chain challenges and meet customer expectations.

The report demonstrates the shift in attitudes around 3D printing from an R&D and prototyping tool to an invaluable manufacturing technology needed to meet evolving consumer preferences and overcome supply chain challenges. Whether working to ease supply chain constraints, creating limited run products, or personalizing devices, businesses have been forced to rethink how they produce goods to meet customer demand. Companies who have adopted 3D printing in the last two years are also more likely to utilize the technology for small batch custom pieces. Small batch custom production enables businesses to meet consumers' insatiable appetite for the latest trend, from custom headphone tips to the latest sneaker drop. 

3D printers have become a manufacturer’s swiss army knife -- an adaptable tool that can keep production lines running. Among newer adopters of 3D printing, overcoming supply chain burdens has been a key impetus for utilizing the technology, with one in two (57 percent) respondents stating that their internal 3D printing capabilities are helping to solve supply chain issues. For example, highly customizable products, like hearing aids or dental aligners, require flexible production methods that are cost-effective and fast. With 3D printing, manufacturers are creating customizable parts in-house, reducing the number of nodes on their supply chain, shortening lead times, and delivering a product at a fraction of the cost.

Maxim Lobovsky, co-founder and CEO of Formlabs stated: “The COVID-19 pandemic was a catalyst for digital transformation across the economy, especially within manufacturing. Business leaders are recognizing this and scaling up their 3D printing capabilities. Nearly half of the companies surveyed now have dedicated teams focused solely on additive manufacturing, confirming that we have entered the era of mass production and customization with 3D printing.”

The adoption and expansion of 3D printing for end use production does not appear to have signs of slowing with 64 percent of companies that adopted 3D printing in the last two years reporting that they are planning a medium or large investment in 3D printing in 2022. Additionally, three in four companies believe 3D printing will change the way products are designed by allowing for more customized manufacturing. 

To access this report in full, please visit The 2022 3D Printing Applications Report. To learn more about Formlabs and its offerings click here. For media assets click here. 

 

About The 2022 3D Printing Applications Report

Market research was conducted by Formlabs in collaboration with Industry Week and Machine Design. Survey results were collected via voluntary survey responses in November of 2021. The findings in this report are based on more than 400 unique responses, from both current users and nonusers of 3D printing. 72 percent of respondents currently use 3D printing, while 28 percent of respondents do not. 

About Formlabs

Formlabs is expanding access to digital fabrication, so anyone can make anything. Headquartered in Somerville, Massachusetts with offices in Germany, Japan, China, Singapore, Hungary, and North Carolina, Formlabs is the professional 3D printer of choice for engineers, designers, manufacturers, and decision makers around the globe. Formlabs products include the Form 3, Form 3B, Form 3L, and Form 3BL powered by an advanced form of stereolithography (SLA) called Low Force Stereolithography (LFS)™ 3D printing, Form Wash and Form Cure post-processing solutions, Fuse 1 SLS 3D printer, and Form Cell manufacturing solution. Through its Factory Solutions offering for industrial users, Formlabs provides the factories of tomorrow with the flexibility and versatility needed for demanding, evolving industrial applications. Formlabs also develops its own suite of high-performance materials that continue to push the boundaries for 3D printing, as well as best-in-class 3D printing software. For more information visit formlabs.com.

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Chelsea Higgins

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