In June, BreakPoint Labs (BPL) gave a presentation at RAPID+tct 2024. This was BPL’s third time presenting at North America’s biggest Additive Manufacturing (AM) event. Two of BPL’s SMEs gave a presentation, as part of RAPID+tct’s Defense conference track, on the “AM MITRE ATT&CK Framework”. The use of AM in Defense remains popular with many applications and many research projects being currently undertaken.
There were several major industry takeaways from RAPID+tct. The first is that there is a general consensus that the AM hype is over and that the industry is now in the trough of disillusionment, according to the Gartner Hype cycle (Figure 1). The trough of disillusionment happens when the original excitement wears off, and early adopters report performance issues and low ROI. We can see this is true due to recent mergers and acquisitions.
AM organizations need to consolidate and collaborate. It won’t be possible for organizations to be profitable and scalable without working together. The industry as a whole needs to focus on how to become more profitable with AM technology and not remain focused on new and innovative AM technology. While technological developments are important, the industry as a whole will become more profitable from AM applications. More needs to be done to integrate AM into real production environments and treat AM as another manufacturing tool rather than a separate process. We can also do more to leverage AM data to increase machine efficiencies and enhance part design.
An ongoing issue for the development of the AM industry is the need for skilled AM professionals. As companies across various industries, including aerospace, healthcare, and automotive, adopt 3D printing technologies, there is a need for professionals who can design, operate, and maintain these complex systems. Skilled AM professionals are essential for optimizing production processes, ensuring quality control, and driving innovation in product development. The AM workforce also needs professionals trained in advanced software, materials science, and engineering. This emphasizes the importance of targeted education and training programs. Institutions and industry partnerships are critical for developing training that addresses these skill gaps. Investing in the education and training of AM professionals not only supports the industry’s growth but also enhances global competitiveness and economic resilience. As the AM industry continues to grow, the need for a skilled workforce remains a critical factor in leveraging the full potential of additive manufacturing technologies.
Another notable industry change in the industry is the increase in Chinese AM companies. 42 Chinese companies exhibited at RAPID+tct 2024. This number is up from around 4 Chinese companies 2 years ago. Chinese AM companies are increasingly becoming world leaders in AM. Germany still leads the world market in yearly revenues, followed by the USA and China. Germany is solidly in first place as most of the companies producing industrial 3D printing hardware today are based in Germany as are many adopters and material manufacturers. However, the US is catching up with significant growth in polymer AM while China is growing, especially through domestic AM production and adoption (VoxelMatters). The global Additive Manufacturing market size was valued at USD 20.37 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow a CAGR of 23.3% from 2023 to 2030 (GrandView Research).
Overall, even though AM is going through a time of ups and downs, the long term outlook for the AM industry is positive with growth continuing into the next decade.
BreakPoint Labs has developed BISON, a tool for securing AM processes. If you are interested in learning more about securing AM, please contact us at info@breakpoint-labs.ocean5strategies.com.