The State of 3D Printing 2022: The Industry is Continuing to Move Towards Sustainable Development

3D printing and digital manufacturing specialist Sculpteo has released its 8th edition of its report, The State of 3D Printing: 2022. Like its seven predecessors, this document is an annual international study that provides an overview of the additive manufacturing industry. Among other things, it allows manufacturers to discover new trends and improve their business strategies. This year, the tone notably was focused on sustainability. Indeed, for the respondents to the study, who are mostly executives, engineers or designers, it seems that 3D printing improves the environmental impact of their activities.

According to the report, 41% of manufacturers believe additive manufacturing helps companies meet their sustainability goals. Continuing with this, 61% of manufacturers believe that this technology allows them to produce the right amount of material for the right need. This advantage avoids the need for a multitude of resources. In traditional techniques, it is necessary to use several materials, which is inadequate for the desired sustainability process. That’s why 3D printing is making a difference. It helps manufacturers maintain a more sustainable policy because they get the exact amount of material needed to make a product.

3D printing allows for better resource management (photo credits: Mecalux)

The State of 3D Printing 2022: Is It a Promising Sustainable Technology?

The Sculpteo study shows that additive manufacturing is also a promising design method. Indeed, 84% are optimistic about the technology’s potential in the future. Specifically, 58% of manufacturers believe it will have a non-negligible role in manufacturing, in the corporate world as well as in personal life. Statistics that reflect the opinion of Alexandre d’Orsetti, CEO of Sculpteo. “I can say that the future of 3D printing is promising and I am proud to be able to contribute to the future of this technology,” he says.