3D Printing Surged 23% Last Year

3D Printing has surged 23% in 2022 and is now a $13.5 billion industry.

(A reprint from DesignNews)

The fourth quarter of 2022 capped a strong year for additive manufacturing markets, according to SmarTech Analysis. Even in the face of uncertain economic conditions, the growth rate for all 3D printing hardware, materials, software, and services expand by 23% in 2022. The year-end spending on additive manufacturing hit $13.5 billion.

Sectors in the industry expanded at different rates. The metals market grew 25%, to $4.9 billion, while the polymers market grew 20%, to $7.3 billion. The software segment reached $1.2 billion, and the additive manufacturing services totaled $6.0 billion.

Sector-by-Sector Growth

The big movers in additive adoption continued to be aerospace and dental. In both industries, 3D printing has morphed into a matured manufacturing process. Yet other sectors are now showing strong growth.

“Though the aerospace industry drove growth in additive manufacturing over the last decade, followed by medical/dental, other sectors are starting to catch up with growing adoption, particularly leading up to and after COVID hit,” Michael Molitch-Hou, editor-in-chief of 3DPrint.com, told Design News. “Specifically, automotive and, more recently, oil and gas, have been using the technology at increasing rates.”