How the last Seven Years Have Shaped Additive Manufacturing's Future

About a decade ago, a spark was lit when I recognised the potential to push industrial-scale 3D printing forward and disrupt the economic models surrounding the multi-trillion-dollar global manufacturing industry. It was this spark that ultimately led to the foundation of Essentium, Inc. some seven years ago.

As I take stock of the past seven years, while I never imagined it would be so challenging, I also never imagined we could have come so far. Yet we have. And we – the global manufacturing community – are now at the tipping point of adopting industrial-scale 3D printing.  

This year, aerospace giant Boeing completed the first flight of its 777X jet, powered by twin GE9X engines equipped with more than300 3D printed parts. The GE9X is the most fuel-efficient jet engine that GE has ever produced, operating at 10 per cent lower fuel consumption than competing engines. This is just one example of how far a cry we are from 3D printing's beginnings as a tool for rapid prototyping.

A combination of the rise of metals and polymers, advancements of 3D printing in biomedical and healthcare, and the availability of generative software helped create a perfect storm of developments to get to this point.    

The rise of metals played an important role in advancing 3D printing because it enabled great strides in the speed and versatility of materials. For example, earlier this year, Ford produced the largest 3D printed metal automotive part of all time, comprising an aluminium manifold inlet forming a complex web‑like structure that would have been impossible to manufacture using traditional manufacturing systems.  

Another significant leap forward for 3D printing was in the rise of biomedical and healthcare applications. Today, for instance, virtually every hearing aid in the world has 3D-printed components. Then, there are 3D-printed teeth aligners, which had a profound impact on the dentistry market – talk about the disruption of markets and supply chains. These customised orthodontics, which are more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing than conventional braces, are 3D printed in the millions.

Software innovation, to which we owe much of the credit to companies like Materialise, has been a huge asset in the advancement in 3D printing. Today's generative design software has built-in math engines helping make geometry choices based on stresses and loads. If I had access to the type of software when I was a design engineer leading the development of new hydraulic hammers, it would likely have been a short-term project rather than a two-year program.  

We've also seen the dramatic evolution of polymers. In the past, polymers were only used for design prototypes. Now, however, they are increasingly being used in factory settings. Over the next seven years, I believe polymers are ripe for disruption, and 3D printing will play a dominant role in their advancement. 

Today the introduction of new high-performance polymers is advancing industrial-scale additive manufacturing. New materials offer high heat resistance and mechanical strength for aerospace, automotive, oil and gas, and tooling applications. They also offer rigidity, high impact resistance, and excellent lightness while remaining affordable for manufacturers.

So, moving forward, the highly flexible nature of 3D printing will allow manufacturers to steal a march on rivals. The next generation of 3D printing innovation is poised for fast adoption as companies strive to cut lead times and respond more quickly to customer needs. In the next seven years, the world of manufacturing and the products it creates will be completely transformed for the better.

In the very near future, in fact, it is already underway, industrial-scale 3D printing will play a large role in keeping supply chains flowing and factory floors moving, even in the event of a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It can step in to make quantities of supplies at scale, or at least the mold to make the product to keep the assembly lines moving.

Make no mistake. This is the beginning of radical change. In the next seven years, the global additive manufacturing market is set to grow from $12 billion (€9.8 billion) in 2020 to reach around $78 billion (€64 billion) by the year 2028. Billions will be saved through new economic and production models. Supply chains will be stronger and able to withstand the worst type of unforeseen events – think pandemic, think combat. Our environment will be safer – think less waste, think more recycling. New markets will emerge - think mass customization of consumer goods and think flying cars. Yes, flying cars. The beauty of industrial 3D printing disruption is the ability to do things not done before, to make parts that haven't been made before - and manufacture things that haven't been manufactured before.

- The author, Blake Teipel PhD, is CEO and Co-founder of Essentium.

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