In recent years, the rise of 3D printing has led to an incredible industry full of potential buyers, sellers, suppliers and even product lines. As a result, the 3D printing industry has become a mainstream focus of business owners and several industries worldwide.
No matter the industry is, there are numerous ways that 3D printing has changed the nature of the industry. For example, today, people can create 3D printed lungs hearts or even create teeth and aligners for patients. There are several applications now because of this fantastic technology.
More so than that, construction companies and sellers are also beginning to use 3D printing to their advantage. There is plenty of potential for 3D printing in several different industries.
Today, we're going to examine the role that 3D printing plays, the critical areas it has helped thus far, and how you can take advantage of this excellent opportunity to employ this new form of technology. So let's get into it all and show you why this potential market for 3D printing should be your next business move.
What is 3D Printing?
3D printing is a new but developed form of technology that allows people to create several items necessary for specific industries, such as medical supplies, organs, manufactured items, and more. The 3D printing industry has grown considerably, and it has also become essential for the future as people look for other sources for vital products people need more so than ever before.
One of the most exciting areas of use for this technology has been in the medical field. People who have not been able to get organ donations get 3D printed hearts, organs, and more. This has changed this specific industry but has also helped so many others that need more support. Here are the particular industries that 3D printing has benefited from thus far.
Industries Most Affected by 3D Printing
Manufacturing and Cars
Did you know that 3D printing has created parts of cars and other manufactured items? One of the most popular ways people use the 3D printing industry is to save their money when creating prototypes, cars, and specific parts needed for testing. Instead of spending the money on making the particular item, they will test it out firstly and then develop the thing if it works out perfectly to their specifications.
Medical and Biotechnology
As mentioned, the medical uses for 3D printing have grown astronomically! So there's plenty of reason to be excited about this technology becoming useful in future, even more so than it is now. People have been able to not only create the organs and hearts that were mentioned, but people have also been able to see prosthetics made for those who need these devices.
Before this, these prosthetics were expensive to produce so regularly, especially for young kids who constantly outgrow their prosthetic devices. Instead, 3D printing has allowed kids to access low-cost items as they grow. This even includes teeth, molds and more. The 3D printing industry has made it relatively affordable and achievable for people to access these medical supplies.
Jewelry
Surprisingly, there's an excellent need for jewelry that 3D printing has been able to capture. This is unexpected and one of the more unusual industries that have been affected by this technology. Still, many people have created prototypes—much like that of automobiles—before printing and creating new items to sell.
The 3D printing industry has even extended into fashion, making it cheaper and more accessible than ever before to test out real-life ideas before they are made into beautiful items for sale. This will be of great use to you if you're in the jewelry industry!
Clothing and Shoes
After learning about the potential for the 3D printing industry to benefit the jewelry makers of the world, it makes sense that clothes and shoes are also positively affected. Some of the world's biggest names in fashion and shoes have begun to use 3D printing to their advantage. People have already seen work from Nike and Adidas, two of the biggest shoe companies globally, that was completed using 3D printing.
These 3D-printed shoes have even been featured in races and competitions! Clothes are also hot ticket items that are created with 3D printing. Using TPU and other fabric filaments, custom clothes have begun to be produced by 3D printers worldwide. They offer so much customization and affordability, making it a noticeable shift in the industry that people cannot ignore today.
Construction, Homes and More
Surprisingly, there’s a significant amount of application with 3D printing in construction. There's the need for prototypes and models of the homes, structures and more before they are completed in much of the same capacity as other industries we have discussed. This saves time for the architects and the engineers on the project and gives them a realistic look at what they are hoping to create for their communities.
The best part about this is that many individuals have used their CAD programming to print 3D images of their projects. There have even been communities wholly built out of 3D printing worldwide, showing the high degree of applicability and the need for this technology. This is crucial for parts of the developing world, especially where home products and materials are scarce and expensive, but the 3D printing industry can change this for these people in need.
Various Prototypes and Models
We have talked about how the 3D printing industry has helped with automobile and construction prototypes, but the truth is, this technology is excellent for all kinds of models. Rapid prototyping is one of the most critical areas of focus, allowing people to create these models in a fraction of the time they used to before. What used to take days or weeks now takes hours, which saves them time on their production process.
No matter what kind of prototype is needed, it is evident that the 3D printing industry has completely changed the timeline for many projects. It's expected that as this form of technology continues to grow and become more widely used, people will all be continuously seeing a rapid reduction in the time it takes to create these fantastic prototypes.
3D Printed Food and Meals
Food is another fantastic way that 3D printing has changed the future. There are 3D printers today that can create edible materials and custom designs, making it easier than ever for people to find other food sources. Some of these have come in upscale restaurants situated around big cities globally, but others have chosen to buy home printers for their food.
These 3D printing capabilities are currently limited to the most rudimentary of items, including chocolate and simple items. However, the hope is that people can see the 3D printing industry create pizzas, large meals, and more in a matter of time. There's even been new 3D printed meat that tastes just like meat, but it is wholly made of beans and other vegan materials. So, this might be one of the primary ways that people receive their protein in future!
3D printers and drawings
Those drawings are printed by those 3D printers.
What Does the Future for 3D Printing Look Like?
There are plenty of potentials for the 3D printing industry to take hold and become an essential part of the business. It is already beginning to take over specific processes that used to take weeks but now take a matter of hours thanks to this new technology. So financially speaking, there's also a great reason to be excited about this industry moving forward.
Financially Strong and Always Growing
As of 2014, the industry itself was valued at $4,164 million. It is essential to talk about these financials, primarily because of the significant jump this industry has seen in recent years. This allowed people to become keener on using 3D printing and more accepting of it over time. The financials have always been strong. The industry itself is expected to reach a stunning $16,838 million in valuation by 2025, in a matter of three years.
Growth in Specific Areas
As time passes on, 3D printing appears to help in specific areas. There are key industries that have already adopted the new normal. Some of these include the automobile industry, where people have already begun to see a higher efficiency using 3D printing instead of their old materials and their old assembly line process. 3D printing will likely continue to help create more products in less production time, saving companies money and time and staff salaries.
Increased Customization as a Luxury to Many
It's true: everyone wants to create something spectacular and continue to have their customized items. The best way and one of the most efficient ways right now is through 3D printing. This is why people have begun to use this for just about any item they want to produce. As we talked about, people use these machines to make everything from necklaces to shoes to car parts. The potentials are limitless indeed.
Increased Accessibility and Need in Healthcare
Currently, one of the most promising applications for 3D printing happens to be in healthcare, specifically with biotechnology and the production of organs and other parts. This is a game-changer not only for prosthetics but also for those looking for organ donations and more. Furthermore, it will continue to give us the possibility of having access to cutting-edge technology that reduces the barriers to a healthy life while also allowing people to receive what they need to overcome their conditions.
The Only Downside to 3D Printing
Despite the increased applications of this technology, it's hard to cut down its cost as of yet. Therefore, it's more likely that it will continue to be more expensive than other technology. The expensive cost is due to the amount of energy used, the lack of commonality with the technology yet, and several other related factors. Still, there's hope that the future will reduce costs as it becomes a more prosperous and widely accepted production method for various industries.
Are You Interested in the 3D Printing Industry?
The 3D printing industry is only at the tip of its potential, and we hope that you see just how valuable it can be for the future. So many industries are turning to this technology, and it is hard to ignore this potential possibility for profits. With people making organs and car parts, 3D printing has quickly become a mainstream technology, targeting key industries without these vital resources. It's only a matter of time before others adopt the same procedure and cut down on costs, energy, and even staffing.
It's only a matter of time before most of what we see worldwide has been 3D printed for ease and convenience. With so many industries proving the validity and the possibility for this fantastic technology, the only way is to continue forward to widespread use and acceptance. We're hopeful that the future of 3D printing will continue to grow and become a common practice worldwide in nearly every industry. When that happens, our world will be almost unrecognizable, and our lives will be full of benefits like never before.
