Survey: In 2020, 65% of companies sourced more 3D-printed parts

Images: 3D Hubs

On-demand parts manufacturer 3D Hubs has released its annual additive manufacturing trends report, which reveals that, despite the pandemic, the global additive manufacturing market grew from $10.4 billion in 2019 to $12.6 billion in 2020. That figure is expected to rise 17% annually over the next three years.

The report also found that 65% of engineering businesses increased their 3D printing usage in 2020 compared to the previous year. The authors of the report expect this trend to continue in 2021, with the majority of engineering businesses (73%) predicting an increase in their 3D printing usage this year.

Other key findings include:

• The additive manufacturing market is forecast to more than double in size over the next five years, reaching a valuation of $37.2 billion in 2026.
• Fifty-four percent of survey respondents 3D-printed more functional end-use parts in 2020 than 2019, and 30% 3D-printed the same amount as in 2019.
• Barriers still remain that hold back adoption of 3D printing. Thirty-eight percent of respondents said price deterred them from using AM, and 29% report blamed poor quality.
• In 2021, 73% of businesses predict they will produce or source more 3D-printed parts than in 2020.

In preparing the report, 3D Hubs, which is part of the Maple Plain, Minn.-based Protolabs family of companies, surveyed 1,504 engineering businesses and conducted a systematic review of market analyses. The current study marks the fourth year in a row that 3D Hubs, Amsterdam, has published the AM study.

The full report can be downloaded here.

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