Sculpteo publishes 8th edition of its The State of 3D Printing report

This week Sculpteo The State of 3D Printing Report 8th Edition has been published. This annual survey was conducted to gather information about additive manufacturing and help improve business strategies.

Sculpteo claims that 3D printing is part of their mission to reduce environmental impact. It replaces traditional production methods whenever possible.

Sculpteo analyzes the data collected from the industry each year to find trends. Most of the 2022 respondents were located in Europe (63%), and the USA (23%). This year’s survey revealed that 39% of users had between one and five years of experience in additive manufacturing, with 27% of respondents using the technology daily.

This study revealed that 3D printing is most popular in the production of consumer goods at 14%, followed by industrial products (13%) or education (11%).

3D printing is now being used by 40% of power users for small-scale production runs and as much as 18% for large-scale production. 3D printing is used by 47% of the respondents to make mechanical parts and 28% for producing consumer goods.

Sculpteo claims that this level of growth in 3D printing is “clear evidence” of the progress now being made in terms of technologies, materials and post-processing solutions.

Of the companies surveyed, Sculpteo says that 40% are in search of more sustainable methods and materials to use in the manufacturing of products, while 41% said that 3D printing is helping them to achieve their sustainability goals. The report also stated that 59% of users have a desire to use more sustainable materials, which Sculpteo says is driven by the increasing number of bio-based materials in recent years. 

According to Sculpteo a majority of manufacturers think that 3D printing is able to help them achieve their sustainability goals by eliminating the need to keep inventory at site. 

Alexandre d’Orsetti, CEO of Sculpteo, said: “This year, we decided to highlight a major concern to all sectors of the industry, and something we see as a major challenge ourselves: sustainability. I’m delighted to say that this technology has a very bright future, and proud to be able to make my own contribution to the future of 3D printing.”

Continue reading: Sculpteo names Alexandre d’Orsetti as new CEO

According to Sculpteo’s survey, three areas of 3D printer reliability and sustainability need the greatest improvement: more recycling options, more sustainable materials development, and better reuse technologies like selective laser sintering.

A large majority (84%) of those surveyed said they were optimistic about the AM industry’s future. 58% responded to a question about additive manufacturing’s potential in the future. They said that technology could play a major role in their personal, business, and manufacturing lives. Only 26% of respondents felt that it would have an impact on manufacturing and businesses.

Respondents to the survey stated that 3D printing offers a reliable and long-lasting benefit of on-demand manufacturing. 61%. Just under half (47%) said that 3D printing reduces the need to use multiple resources, because some designs are “impossible” to achieve using traditional techniques.

Do you want to talk? Join the conversation on the Additive Manufacturing Global Community Discord.  

Get your FREE print subscription to TCT Magazine.