Additive Manufacturing Strategies 2025: Consensus on the Road Ahead for 3D Printing – 3DPrint.com

The 2025 edition of Additive Manufacturing Strategies was a more serious, down-to-earth event, with decisions and pronouncements rooted in data rather than conjecture. Stratasys CEO Yoav Zeif kicked it off with a grounded presentation that emphasized a future with a stronger application and direct focus. Additive Manufacturing Research (AMR) Executive Vice President of Research Scott Dunham’s data overview, looking at the mid-decade timeframe, pointed to the same outlook. He also took the time to reflect on past estimates and promises made by firms, offering a sobering perspective.

BMW’s Stefanus Bosch presented a future where 3D printing is integrated into assembly line production, manufacturing tens of thousands of products. He made it clear that companies like his will not overpay for materials and that costs need to decrease. His focus on automation, maintenance, and excellence is exactly what the industry needs.

Materialise CEO Brigitte de Vet spoke about innovation and realism in 3D printing. Her perspective on a slow revolution stood in stark contrast to the overly optimistic “3D printing for everything” mentality that prevailed years ago.

Cobra PUMA Golf’s Ryan Roach showcased real parts currently available for purchase and emphasized the need to lower costs to sell more golf clubs. HP’s Alex Moñino discussed collaborations and a methodical approach to breaking down barriers in the industry.

Collaboration

There was a remarkable consistency in vision, outlook, and the steps needed to move forward. Many in the industry advocate for increased collaboration, whether through application-specific partnerships, mission-driven cooperation, or formalized alliances. Formalized collaboration, such as the Leading Minds Consortium, continues to be pursued as a means to share costs, implement standards, and engage with governments and industry peers.

Stefanie Brickwede, Managing Director of Mobility/Medical goes Additive, pioneered mission-based collaboration, bringing together train manufacturers and suppliers through MGA to industrialize additive manufacturing for rail applications. MGA Mobility forms consortia focused solely on the unique requirements, challenges, and components specific to trains. This approach is likely to prove valuable in industries such as marine, medical, and defense by addressing sector-specific barriers to entry.

Matt Sermon, Executive Director of Program Executive Office Strategic Submarines, has a highly specific objective with profound implications. Attending the event for the second time, he sought to rally the industry around the challenge of manufacturing submarines. He was patient and receptive, listening to all perspectives—no matter how ambitious—to identify those who could help accelerate submarine production. Without sufficient submarines, the U.S. strategic threat could diminish or even disappear.

Overall, the event had a more serious tone, tackling more complex challenges while offering more meaningful opportunities. Many speakers were actively engaged in, or eager to pursue, collaboration on specific parts, end-to-end workflows, and broader industrialization efforts.

Defense

Another notable trend was the growing emphasis on the defense market and its opportunities. AMR’s Scott Dunham engaged with many attendees at AMS who he had also encountered at Shot Show, and many of them reconnected again a week later at the Military AM conference in Tampa.

The silencer market, which Scott first identified as a growing segment back in 2017, has now expanded into significant production among various service vendors. Additionally, firearm manufacturers are investing heavily in machines. Beyond submarines, discussions frequently centered on aerospace, the Navy in general, and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).

The U.S. defense sector appears to be a market that many are eager to enter, as discussed in the “Additive Manufacturing in Military and Defense 2024” report from AMR. While success is far from guaranteed for all, some will undoubtedly find opportunities to establish themselves.

Softwearization

AI parroting has overshadowed a more significant trend: the growing value of AM in software. Software firms are now targeting specific workflow improvements, operator time savings, reduced failed builds, build optimization, and more.

Whereas previous tools aimed to be all-encompassing solutions, today’s market is shifting toward specialized add-ons designed for distinct tasks. Large authoring packages and integrated software ecosystems are developing targeted solutions for additive manufacturing, with an increasing focus on cost efficiency and optimization.

This shift could enable some firms to generate substantial revenue in 3D printing while delivering meaningful cost savings to operators.

Real Parts Real Costs

For years, we’ve sold unobtainium—critical parts that couldn’t be produced any other way. The Kryptonite market is, of course, a great one to be in. Now, however, there’s a push toward making car parts, a shift akin to an artisan jeweler attempting to sell directly to Costco.

We find ourselves in a middle ground, trying to automate artisanal production—a challenge we’ve faced for over a decade. However, advancements in machines, software, and processes are steadily improving in parallel. Many materials companies have come and gone without delivering real cost savings to operators, but perhaps the industry can find ways to reduce costs independently. Keeping this focus remains essential.

Overall

Overall, I’m hopeful. Last year felt like being trapped in an escape room—we had built this intricate, wonderful castle called 3D printing, and it was beautiful. But once we realized it was something we needed to break out of, our palace started to feel like a prison.

Now that the hype has sufficiently deflated, we have clarity on the path forward. We need to make money by selling parts, and we need to make it easier to produce and sell them. That’s it. It’s that simple.